Santa Claus stars

Press, 23 November 1981, Page 6

Santa Claus stars

Father Christmas need have no worries. He is still head of the roost and the most popular attraction in the Haywnghts Christmas pageant. The Father Christmas in the parade, through Christchurch on Saturday may be a little more solid round the middle these days, and need spectacles, but he still has a mana of his own. The children* were delighted by the many cartoon characters and floats that depicted fairyland scenes but it was Father Christmas who drew the biggest cheer. One small boy was a little perplexed when he saw the large girth of the man in red behind the glittering reindeer and he asked his mother how he would fit their chimney. His mother said that Father Christmas “would manage." A huge crowd watched the thirty-third annual pageant which this year emphasised the hundredth anniversay of the stock and farm section of Haywrighls.

A stagecoach, which was brought from a museum at Fairlie, and had been used in the “Hunter's Gold" television series, was the main attractive in the section of the pageant commemorating the centennial of the stock and farm section.

Although the Ministry of Transport or the police could not estimate the crowd, peopie were four and five deep in the block bounded by Rolleslon Avenue, Durham Street. Cambridge Terrace, and Park Terrace.

Cars were parked as far away as the Riccarton roundabout, and cricketers playing at Hagley Oval found it impossible to park their cars near the playing fields. The parade was headed by a 6m tall drummer boy, and behind came a collection of bands, marching teams, trick cyclists, cartoon characters, floats, a traction engine, a vintage car, and fblk dancers.

Snoopy, looking as though he was taking evasive action

to get the Red Baron off his tail, shot' past. Fred Flintsone and Wilma did not look worried as Barney Rubble piloted them through the crowd. Herman Munster, minus his bolts, sauntered about just in front of Mother Goose, who needed a tractor to pull her along. Pinocchio sitting on the back of a water-spouting Moby Dick made an incongrous pair, while the Three Little Pigs did not look at all worried by the sinister presence of the Wolf. Wendy stood demurely by as Captain Hook and Peter Pan were locked in a fierce sword fight.

It was not al) fun for some of the very young. One little boy burst’ into tears when Father Christmas appeared. A comforting father picked him up and said, “If you don’t like Father Christmas you will save Daddy a 10l of money.” . *

Pictures, page 21