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By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
The appearance of Medfield around the holidays has been compared to a town in a Hallmark Christmas movie - it’s decked out in lights and festive holiday decor from end to end. The annual Holiday Stroll brings residents into this winter wonderland to find some great Christmas gifts or enjoy some holiday food. On December 7, a day after the Stroll, residents continued celebrating with the much-anticipated annual holiday parade.
Gathering along the parade route, people waited for the parade to start. “Oh, I hear a fire truck,” said one mom to her kids as she looked down the street. The trucks were followed by the Medfield High School marching band, with each member wearing a red Santa hat.
A highlight of the parade, as it is every year, was the Girl Scouts’ choice of costumes. Every year, each local troop picks out a costume in which to march. Brownie Troop 62991 dressed in penguin onesies. Troop 70648 dressed in their winter gear, twirling white umbrellas decorated to resemble snow clouds. Troop 82075, meanwhile, dressed up as gingerbread people, with red and green candy buttons. Other troops dressed up Christmas lights, reindeer, elves, and even ice princesses. Onlookers couldn’t help but smile when half a dozen scouts dressed as peppermint candies.
Troop 62991 wore matching penguin onesies during the parade.
“Do you think they smell like peppermint?” one kid asked her mom.
Many kids were excited to see what the floats looked like this year. One truck was decorated in the front with two glittering stockings, while a giant stuffed bear with a top hat sat in the back. Another truck carried a giant snowman in the bed, with a smaller one on the roof of the truck. The Lions Club brought their famous Eyemobile while carrying a stuffed version of their mascot along the parade route.
The final parade float was the one everyone was waiting for. “Oh, I see Santa!” exclaimed one woman as she spotted the approaching float. Accompanied by four children dressed as helpful elves, Santa and Mrs. Claus were welcomed into town.
Despite the often freezing weather, Medfield’s annual holiday parade continues to one of the most iconic events in town - one that continues to be memorable, year after year.
