Wednesday, December 11, 2013 4:41 pm

In Spindale and Rutherfordton Santa was featured on a horse drawn ride.

The weather was wet, windy and bitter cold, but it did not dampen the Christmas spirit in Spindale, Rutherfordton and Ellenboro. Bundled up parade watchers huddled along the parade route as the 2013 Christmas parades began Saturday, December 7 in Spindale and Rutherfordton, and on Sunday, December 8 in Ellenboro.

The bands from R-S Central and East Rutherford high schools warmed the crowds up with lively renditions of everyones favorite Christmas songs. This year some very creative efforts were displayed in all the parades.

The Girl Scouts cleverly decorated their float with Girl Scout cookie boxes. Santa, being drawn by a team of horses in Spindale and Rutherfordton and entering the Ellenboro parade to rap music, proved very original. Victory Baptist Church in Ellenboro has to get the top vote for keeping the true meaning of Christmas in the parade. They passed out laminated cards with a little girl on the front exclaiming “Jesus Loves Me” and on the back, the lyrics for one of everyone’s very favorite songs. It was good to see so many floats in both parades proclaiming what Christmas is all about. May each of you have a blessed and very Merry Christmas.