Elf Parade brings Christmas joy to Old Cahaba

Published 4:00 pm Friday, December 18, 2020

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter 

HELENA — The Old Cahaba neighborhood in Helena has been the site of many unique events during the holidays, capping it off for the Christmas season by hosting an Elf Parade and Christmas market on Saturday, Dec. 12.

The parade was created by Selective Management Services who owns the property and was administered by Casie Jarman, the property manager.

Though the event was complicated by the weather, there was still a large turnout of neighbors to see the parade as it made its way through the neighborhood.

One of the highlights of the event was the chance for children to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus and take photos and tell them their biggest wishes for Christmas.

“Santa and Mrs. Claus carved out some time away from the toy shop to come see our Old Cahaba kiddos. They were even in our parade, though they left the reindeer at home to rest and get some practice runs in before Christmas Eve,” Jarman said.

The parade was smaller compared to the Witches Ride that took place in the neighborhood for Halloween, but residents were still delighted to watch as Santa and his helpers made their way through the neighborhood.

An abundance of children looked on in wonder and delight at what they were able to experience.

Following the parade, the Christmas market was open for residents to visit and make Christmas purchases, similar to the parade, the market was scaled back significantly due to the weather, but still provided an opportunity for residents to do some shopping.

Jarman explained that these types of events are great for the community, as they give families an opportunity to let their kids embrace the holidays while also ensuring that no one runs a risk of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus.

“It was safe for families that have members who have compromised immune systems or other health conditions that may cause them to miss out on events,” Jarman explained.