Children experience the magic of Christmas at Nashville Santa Parade
Holmes County children were on their best behavior on Saturday, Nov. 26, when Santa Claus himself came to town for the first annual Nashville Santa Parade.
When he’s not merrily making a list and checking it twice, Santa goes by the name of Stan Gilbert. The flowing white beard, red suit, jolly laugh and kind eyes are not the only reasons Gilbert has made the perfect Santa for so many years.
“I’ve been Santa for more than 30 years, here and there and everywhere,” said Gilbert, who has been Santa at schools like Nashville, Millersburg, West Holmes and Triway, and at nursing homes and churches. He does it because he believes that Christmas should be special for everyone. “It just makes you feel good,” he said. “For old or young, I love to play that role.”
Gilbert said the children inspire him to play Santa because they approach the holidays with a sense of wonderment and unquestioning belief.
“Kids enjoy Christmas in that innocent and special way to the point where you don’t have to prove anything,” said Gilbert. “They get all excited and that kind of excitement for Christmas is what I get out of it. I just like to make people happy and share that good feeling.”
This year, Gilbert decided, there would be even more opportunities for children to experience the magic of Christmas with the Santa Parade in Nashville.
“Nashville has always been a Christmas town,” said Gilbert, citing the Wachtel’s Christmas light display and the Nashville Church of Christ nativity. “What better place for people to come and enjoy Christmas even more with Santa. This is going to be the first of many parades because the community has decided that this would be a really good thing for Nashville.”
What began as a simple parade featuring Santa and one or two fire trucks quickly turned into something much larger. Fire trucks hailing from all over Holmes County kicked off the parade with flashing lights and sirens ringing out the tune of Jingle Bells. Floats carrying the Bobcats youth football team and Love Out Loud youth group paraded down the street along with local students dressed up as elves, the Grinch and other characters. Expectant children cheered excitedly from each side of the street as a float featuring reindeer, trees, Mrs. Claus and, finally, Santa himself.
The parade ended at the Nashville Fire Department where children quickly began lining up for a personal meeting with Santa. The department provided cookies and candy for the children, who eagerly sat on Santa’s lap as their parents proudly snapped photos.
The parade, the cookies and the meeting with Santa Claus should make this one very special Christmas for the children, said Gilbert. “I wanted to do something special this year because I kind of think this year will be the last year (as Santa) for me. I keep telling my wife that I’ll do it one more year. And then one more year becomes another year and another year,” he said with a hearty laugh.
“As long as I’m doing Santa I could go on forever because it just keeps you young and alive and having fun,” said Gilbert, who will also be hosting his own Santa Claus visits at Happy Trails Farm, located at 6006 Township Road 501 near Nashville, on Fridays and Saturdays, from 5-8 p.m., during the month of December. He will be selling Christmas trees, giving away free carriage rides and leading interactive tours through Santa’s workshop.
Also at Happy Trails, Gilbert will offer the Road to Bethlehem Tour, a hayride through his pasture featuring nativity scenes and the scriptures every Friday and Saturday, beginning on Dec. 2. Anyone wishing to schedule a ride can call 330-231-9583.
All of these holiday activities are done in an effort to incite the joy of the season, said Gilbert, and not to make a profit. He accepts donations for the Happy Trails merely to cover the costs of operation.
“I’m not trying to make a lot of money on all this, I just want to do something so people in the community can forget about working and trying to make a living, but really enjoy Christmas for what it is. It’s the fun of Santa Claus and remembering what Christmas is all about: the birth of Christ.”
When he’s not merrily making a list and checking it twice, Santa goes by the name of Stan Gilbert. The flowing white beard, red suit, jolly laugh and kind eyes are not the only reasons Gilbert has made the perfect Santa for so many years.
“I’ve been Santa for more than 30 years, here and there and everywhere,” said Gilbert, who has been Santa at schools like Nashville, Millersburg, West Holmes and Triway, and at nursing homes and churches. He does it because he believes that Christmas should be special for everyone. “It just makes you feel good,” he said. “For old or young, I love to play that role.”
Gilbert said the children inspire him to play Santa because they approach the holidays with a sense of wonderment and unquestioning belief.
“Kids enjoy Christmas in that innocent and special way to the point where you don’t have to prove anything,” said Gilbert. “They get all excited and that kind of excitement for Christmas is what I get out of it. I just like to make people happy and share that good feeling.”
This year, Gilbert decided, there would be even more opportunities for children to experience the magic of Christmas with the Santa Parade in Nashville.
“Nashville has always been a Christmas town,” said Gilbert, citing the Wachtel’s Christmas light display and the Nashville Church of Christ nativity. “What better place for people to come and enjoy Christmas even more with Santa. This is going to be the first of many parades because the community has decided that this would be a really good thing for Nashville.”
What began as a simple parade featuring Santa and one or two fire trucks quickly turned into something much larger. Fire trucks hailing from all over Holmes County kicked off the parade with flashing lights and sirens ringing out the tune of Jingle Bells. Floats carrying the Bobcats youth football team and Love Out Loud youth group paraded down the street along with local students dressed up as elves, the Grinch and other characters. Expectant children cheered excitedly from each side of the street as a float featuring reindeer, trees, Mrs. Claus and, finally, Santa himself.
The parade ended at the Nashville Fire Department where children quickly began lining up for a personal meeting with Santa. The department provided cookies and candy for the children, who eagerly sat on Santa’s lap as their parents proudly snapped photos.
The parade, the cookies and the meeting with Santa Claus should make this one very special Christmas for the children, said Gilbert. “I wanted to do something special this year because I kind of think this year will be the last year (as Santa) for me. I keep telling my wife that I’ll do it one more year. And then one more year becomes another year and another year,” he said with a hearty laugh.
“As long as I’m doing Santa I could go on forever because it just keeps you young and alive and having fun,” said Gilbert, who will also be hosting his own Santa Claus visits at Happy Trails Farm, located at 6006 Township Road 501 near Nashville, on Fridays and Saturdays, from 5-8 p.m., during the month of December. He will be selling Christmas trees, giving away free carriage rides and leading interactive tours through Santa’s workshop.
Also at Happy Trails, Gilbert will offer the Road to Bethlehem Tour, a hayride through his pasture featuring nativity scenes and the scriptures every Friday and Saturday, beginning on Dec. 2. Anyone wishing to schedule a ride can call 330-231-9583.
All of these holiday activities are done in an effort to incite the joy of the season, said Gilbert, and not to make a profit. He accepts donations for the Happy Trails merely to cover the costs of operation.
“I’m not trying to make a lot of money on all this, I just want to do something so people in the community can forget about working and trying to make a living, but really enjoy Christmas for what it is. It’s the fun of Santa Claus and remembering what Christmas is all about: the birth of Christ.”
Published: November 28, 2011
