Editor:

The last time I attended a Christmas parade in Fairhope was in 2006, for the obvious reasons that follow. I was deeply disappointed that it had turned from a celebration of the season into a Mardi Gras spectacle, but more so that it was dangerous to onlookers. I was reminded of this today when I heard of yet another group that plans to enter a float with candy throws and children aboard. So I write to share my unpleasant memories and provide some thoughts I hope the city government will consider this year.

Let me paint the picture. Many parade vehicles featured throws of Mardi Gras beads, candy and stuffed animals. At times, no one who stood near me cheered the people in the parade. Not the bands, the twirlers, the youth recognized for outstanding achievement, the Dogwood Trail Maids and the beauty queens who were clearly freezing in the bitter cold, not the terrific unicyclists from the Middle School or the adorable younger set who were dressed as the Mouse King and other characters from “The Nutcracker Suite.” No, the children, their parents and their grandparents spent the greater time raising their hands in the air and calling to throwers to catch treats and beads, stuffing their booty bags and scrambling into the middle of the street before oncoming floats and marchers to collect more.

Children and many adults on the floats were not trained to throw items up into the air to land safely, and so aimed them directly at onlookers. Some of the older children deliberately whipped candy at friends in the crowd to tease them. Stuff began flying so fast and hard from some floats that for a good while, I kept a hand raised in front of my face to avoid getting hit in the eye. I did get hit hard in the legs twice, and an 8-year old boy next to me fell to his knees crying after being hit in the nose. Two unicyclists nearly crashed their bikes when a man obliviously darted in front of them, and there more such dashes actually into the ranks of bands and other marchers.

Once, the parade was about the holiday season. The emphasis was on the proud and happy children and everyone else who prepared so hard to entertain with their music, performing, float construction and costumes. The crowd’s attention was just on them, and it gave back its due appreciation in full measure. It was an event that celebrated all that is good in our community.

The city holds four Mardi Gras parades beginning just a few weeks after Christmas — isn’t that enough? Is there no way we can go back, to restore the spirit appropriate to the holiday season?

Fairhope