It was 42 degrees, but the cold air didn’t stop the warm cheer. In fact, it may have made it even more cheerful as the holidays are more magical with a touch of briskness in the air to make us cozy up a little closer to the ones we love.

There are few things in life that are more festive than a parade, and Waxhaw knows how to make a parade perfect. With the classics downtown feel of the the heart of the little village, Waxhaw’s Main Streets are an ideal setting for a classic American tradition.

While the 4th of July Parade evokes the most patriotic of feelings from participants and onlookers, it is certain that the Christmas parade evokes the most joy.

It’s easy to slip back into that childlike view of Christmas when watching Waxhaw’s streets lined with floats, and bands, and all that glitters red, green and gold. With “tiny-tots” lining the sidewalks, the Christmas magic of innocence, and the excitement of giving and receiving is palpable in the air.

The residents of the Village, prodded by the ambiance of community and cheer that defines this little North Carolina community, do their part to bring the colors of Christmas to the sidelines, as they enumerate the sidewalks in bobbles and jangles of every sort. It would be hard to find a more willing and festive group of parade-goers than the ones who live among us.

The parade itself does not disappoint these waiting and eager eyes! Every year the procession is filled with the colors and meaning of Christmas — from the more modern side of the season, to the traditional, the streaming line of colors and sounds brings merriment to life.

While the diversity of a modern Christmas can be seen in the parade, the heart of the event is still solidly focused on the true “reason for the season” as the remindful slogan goes.

The birth of Jesus Christ, the nativity, and the religious foundation of Christmas are the fabric that holds the entire parade together. It’s refreshing and revitalizing to see so many faith-based groups sharing their deep held convictions and traditions around a holiday that fights every year against the push to commercialization. While we all love the giving and taking of presents that symbolize Christmas for so many, we also appreciate the true giving and taking of the season, whether that be love or the gift of baby Jesus.

If Christmas carols are your thing then the Waxhaw’s parade never disappoints. From unforgettable jingles blasting from speakers atop floats to the talent of the local high school marching bands, the parade is a Christmas music lover’s paradise. It’s impossible not to sing along with those tunes that worm their ways into our ears every December, bringing back sweet memories of Christmases past.

Despite the little nip in the air, or maybe, depending on your view, all the better for it, the Waxhaw Christmas parade of 2017 went down in the books as yet another Christmas Classic.