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our Favorite Christmas Carol was the theme of this year’s Spirit of Christmas Parade. There were 45 entries – not all of them song-related – and a lot of vehicles, a fair number of dogs, a few antlers and halos and many, many red hats.

The parade marshal was Town Manager Wyatt Cutler, who is retiring from that job in just a few weeks.

Wyatt Cutler. No wire-tap needed. The out-going town manager was heard on the route offering to sell his job.

Angels on high. Drummers drumming. Variations on the Jingle Bell theme. A few references to Rudolph, some intentional, some caused by exposure to the cold weather. Here are some of the faces and floats that came down Broad and Hodges Streets and South Avenue:

Angels from First Citizens Bank were high up on a large pick-up truck.

Dashing Through The Snow.

..on a board. This may have worked as a medley with “(I’m Dreaming of a) White Christmas.”

Several drummers – from the Pamlico High School band — drumming their way down Broad Street.

Clarinetist.

One float was a work in progress, and perhaps a new song: Two Artists Painting. Susan Cheatham and Toni Leavitt, part-owners of the new Station Gallery, worked at their easels as their wagon went down the parade route.

Susan Cheatham and Toni Leavitt of the Station Gallery. Susan got started early while waiting on Ragan Road for the parade to start. She worked the Deaton float behind them in to the painting.

Susan Cheatham ..

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The Girl Scouts may have been the best troupers of the parade. They walked the route (most entries rolled). They sang their song. And..

They wore red noses. Rudolph was their theme..

For the most part, there were fewer antlers in the parade than in years past. Most entries went for the Santa hat.

The refrain of one song got played up by the Red Hat Ladies. It appeared many other parade participants got their memo…..

One of the crew on the Sykes Builders float.

The Cub Scout Troop wore their red hats, too. Some a little lower on the head than planned.

The History Museum tied the santa hats in with what may look like Santa’s Helper aprons. (The aprons actually bear the name of the shipyard responsible for the steamship “Oriental” whose eventual shipwreck gave the town its name.) .

The truck wore a red hat. Gerry Enzerink at the controls — wheel and lights — of the Oriental First Responders’ vehicle, “19-91”.

The Deaton’s Yacht Service float.

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Sandy Evens tosses candy (see lower left) from the truck pulling the SCOO float.

The Sailing Club of Oriental shows off their 1984-2008 Commodores. Next year 2009-2034?

Camp Seafarer and Seagull combined a bus with a Sunfish sail.

One of several big trucks in the parade.

Live Oak Tool Rental may have been among the smaller trucks, but it had the biggest red bows.

Andy’s car.

Gray Hardison of Hardison’s Oil and Tire.

Exactly how did the tradition start of linking alligators to bubbles?

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What’s a Spirit of Christmas Parade without the reindeer dogs? Antlers were optional this year.

The four legs that got the most workout….

We think this is not the dog’s natural color.

Hoosier didn’t get dye job but did submit to having his nails painted. Here he is with owner Jeff Troeltzsch on the Southeast Pamlico Volunteer Fire Dept truck just before the parade. In this shot, Hoosier is coy about getting his face and nails in the same photo….

The proud Hoosier toward the end of the parade route.

Horses passing by The Bean.

The horses did come with their own detail crew.

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Croaker Queen, a nod to Oriental’s other big parade of the year when temps don’t require a turtleneck.

One church redid the nativity scene. .

Village Health and Fitness. (“All I Want For Christmas is Some Strengthened Quads”?)

Chris Schwartz in the Pamlico Rescue truck.

The Bio Terrorism Emergency Response vehicle….

… and some of its passengers.

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The Station Gallery float later in the parade route. Toni Leavitt’s work on full view.

Spectators watched from the street sides, but some — such as Mike Anderson and friends — found a higher perch by standing on boats tied at and near the Town Dock .

… as did a visiting sailor from Canada at the Town Dock.

Still more boat top viewing.

The light was fading as one of the last parade entries went by.

End of the parade… must be Santa, on the Coast Guard boat.

The judges provided this list of their awards in the parade:

Biggest Pistol Award – Chief Cassassa
Most Patriotic – Honor Guard
Sexiest Wave – Wyatt Cutler
Best Dressed – Sudan Mourners
Man with the most votes – Bill Sage
Sweetest Float – M&M’s
Little Drummer Boy award for Best Rhythm – Pamlico High School Band
Santa’s Helper award – Girl Scouts
Most Athletic – Kids on Ripsticks
Norman Rockwell Christmas award – Station Gallery
Rigsby Rogers Superstar award – Donna & Stella
Snappy award – Sudan Gators
Rudolph’s Red Nose award – Station 19 Fire Dept.
Best Balls – Village Fitness
Best Horn – Live Oak Rental
Best Hats – Red Hat Ladies
Best Parade Theme – First Citizens Bank
Lords a’Leaping award – S.C.O.O.
Barney Fife award – First Capital
Snoopy & Red Baron award – PAWS
Bless Their Hearts award – Pet Parlour
Ambassador’s Award – Camp Seagull/Seafarer
Best Live Nativity – New LIfe Praise Worship
Bucket Award – Two Horses
Best Dessert – Cub Scouts
Hug Me — Don’t Bug Me award – Mariner Realty
Best Elf – Santa

Posted Sunday December 14, 2008 by Melinda Penkava