Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter 

HELENA — Aside from the parades and tree lightings that usually accompany the holiday season, residents of Old Cahaba will have an extra unique treat as the neighborhood will play host to an Elf Parade and Christmas Village on Dec. 12.

Selective Management Services, the Old Cahaba property owner, is hosting the event as a follow-up to the successful Witches’ Ride that celebrated Halloween, to help people get into the Christmas spirit according to Casie Jarman, property manager.

The first part of the event is the Elf Parade, similar to the Witches’ Ride, which will encourage residents to dress as elves to parade through the neighborhood to see local children along with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

“Of course, the main reason for our Christmas event each year is Santa! We talk to him throughout the year and he lets us know how things are at the North Pole.  Santa actually has a health condition, so he was thrilled when we told him about our idea,” Jarman said. “Since we are taking precautions, he and Mrs. Claus have carved out some time away from the toy shop to come see our Old Cahaba kiddos. They will even be in our parade, though they are leaving the reindeer at home to rest and get some practice runs in before Christmas Eve.”

The parade will begin around 5 p.m. and follow through the neighborhood starting at the Riverbend side of Old Cahaba Parkway, and continuing all the way to the entrance of the neighborhood. For optimum viewing, spectators are asked to stand on the left side of the parkway.

Following the parade, the neighborhood will play host to a Christmas Village at the parkway pool, which will feature a plethora of shopping opportunities for things like handmade soaps and bath product vendors, a local clothing boutique, a baby and kids clothing vendor, hand painted Christmas ornaments, and a vinyl T-shirt vendor.

There will also be food vendors for residents to enjoy.

Continuing with the idea of the Witches’ Ride, this event is designed to give residents a safe space to enjoy the company of others and take in the spirit of the holiday.

“What’s great about it is that it gets the whole neighborhood involved and it’s safe for families that have members who have compromised immune systems or other health conditions that may cause them to miss out on events—even when there is not a pandemic,” Jarman explained.

Jarman said that they are seeking participants to be elves in the parade and anyone that wants to should “dress as an elf and meet at the end of the parkway on the 12th at 4:30.”

They are also seeking vendors for the event, and anyone interested in being a vendor should email Jarman at CJarman@selectivemgmt.com by Dec. 10.

Selective Management Services is also using the event as a canned food and toy drive for families in need this year. There will be a drop off location at the Christmas Village, and these items will be donated to the Helena and Alabaster police and fire departments for children in need.