December 5, 2010

'Tis the Season to be Jolly

This year's Christmas would be our third away from home and if everything goes right, it may also be our last  in NZ. With less than 12 months to go, I'm starting to feel a wee bit sentimental about leaving Christchurch and to tell you the truth, I don't really understand why. Maybe it's the season...Maybe it's me being melancholic...Or maybe it's a symptom of PMS. Oh. Whatever...

With the realization that it could be my very last Christmas here, I've decided to make it my best ever. Now one of the things in my Must-Do list is to go to the Santa Claus Parade and take photos. The parade is held every year to celebrate the official opening of Christmas and it is anticipated by absolutely everyone, young and old. It's really a wonderful event cos  there's something for everybody like street entertainment,  good bargains, chocolate wheels, lucky draws, food stalls, kids' rides, helicopter rides and free lollies. I've been to one in 2008 but at that time I was pregnant, bloated and temperamental. In short, I didn't have a good time. This year was different cos I am none of those.

So yesterday, we went to the Santa Parade in Kaiapoi and as I've imagined, the kids loved it. We had ice cream and lollies and chips and oh! I got this cool make-up bag for $2.00.

It comes with blingy stickers

you get to decorate the bag with the blings :)
Bargains were everywhere and lots of stalls were having pre-Christmas sales. So yeah, it was a very successful outing for me. For once my kids were happy to leave me in peace and not drive me nuts. Too bad I couldn't leave them there.

Now I'll leave you with pictures so you'll get a better glimpse of the whole event. Enjoy :)


A building damaged by the big quake

Alden dropped his icre cream on the ground so he had to take daddy's..
See the cone lying on the road?



Prince William on the unicycle??




Silly Molly



Caged sheep and kids




The town's fire brigade



One of Alden's favourites

A vintage truck


A shop promoting its mobility scooters


A big version of Trevor from Thomas the Tank Engine

Vintage cars




And finally Santa Claus :)

7 comments:

CathJ said...

this is very interesting...

and .. I almost believed that was Prince William.. LOL.. sama oh muka.. hihihi..

carolchs said...

very nice parade. tida buli take photos kah with the paraded cars, trucks etc? kan best if we have Christmas parade like that here...ah well, have to be contented with the Merdeka Parade ja lah hehehe

Amanda Christine Wong said...

nice eh...these are the kind of things i'd like to see with my very own eyes someday. and omg, mau habis sudah pla ko kan? how time flies! i HAVE to go there before u leave!

Mimi said...

Nice parade! That uni-cyclist really looks like Prince William.. hehehe.. and like Manda, I also want to go there before you come back for good.

Tina said...

Great photos, Lizee!
Interesting parade too. The town's fire brigade looks vintage.. like trapped in the last century.. and the firemen too. Is it just for show or what?
Have fun preparing for Christmas, esp if it's your last one there!

Enniebelle said...

wah, so much fun! jelos ni..I wish we have some of that here in KK..thank god we'll be having a xmas street carnival..

Lizeewong said...

Cath - Ya ba..betul2 mcm pronce will oh. I got excited when I saw him :P hihi

kay- can't really take pics with the cars and floats cos we were supposed to stay by the side of the road and not get in the way...Ada org jaga lg ba..so susa la :)

manda and mimi- ba..you two must plan betul2 ni. Just let me know k? :)

Thanks Tina...those are real firemen but they don't really use the classic truck. I think it was borrowed from the museum or something :)

Ennie- hihihi..jgn jelos ba...Siok ba tu christmas carnival di KK..byk sale lg kan??? That's fun.