PLATTE COUNTY – Two parades are in the books with Guernsey’s Christmas parade on tap for this coming Wednesday.

Wheatland had it’s annual Christmas parade that wound through the streets of the city lights with Christmas music, brightly colored floats and steam. Steam coming from every person in the parade and watching the parade as the challenge for the night was trying to keep warm.

The wind chills made it feel like -8 degrees according to the National Weather Center at parade time, and by the time the floats navigated their way to the downtown area people were transformed into human Popsicles.

Most had bundled accordingly, but the chills were dangerous to those who had no face covering or gloves. As the floats got closer to the downtown area, the sounds of Christmas abounded at the library where there was hot chocolate and people dancing around trying to keep warm.

The floats were judged and the Thrifty Foods Float took first place followed by the Boy Scouts Float and third place went to the REA float.

Most people who usually hung around the downtown area scurried to find a warm place to recover from the cold and the consensus of opinion was the hot chocolate at the Wild Whisk.

Saturday brought a little milder temperature, but not much milder as the Town of Glendo held their annual Christmas parade. Nobody in Glendo complained as, one, they are not complainers and two, it was nothing like last year’s parade that was just a local affair as blizzard conditions closed the corridor and nobody come in or get out of Glendo.

The parade began promptly at 6 p.m. and by the time the pony cart which traditionally leads the parade every year appeared on main street, people had already packed the sidewalks with their adult beverages or hot chocolates, matching Christmas light necklaces for most of the locals and the sound of Christmas music coming from the mobile speaker that was set up near one of the sidewalk propane heaters.

Glendo traditionally has the biggest parade for the littlest town in Wyoming and this year’s lineup didn’t disappoint. There were antique cars, gingerbread cabins, brightly colored pickup trucks and sirens blaring amid the music.

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear, but instead of a reindeer pulling a sleigh, Santa and Mrs. Claus were coming down the main drag… in a tank. Jingling bells, throwing candy and wishing everyone a merry Christmas.

The tank was followed by a police vehicle with flashing lights, and everyone thought it was trying to pull the tank over to check the license and registration. One the parade wound its way to the community center, the 30’ community Christmas tree was lit followed by an impressive fireworks display put forth by the Glendo Volunteer Fire Department.

After the show, the kids filed into the community center where there were cookies, hot chocolate and gift bags that were given out by Santa and Mrs. Claus. The festivities shifted back to the streets where people talked and drank and fellowshipped for hours huddled around the propane heaters.

Bottom Pictures:

Glendo2: The community came together after the parade to light the 30-foot community Christmas tree which was followed by fireworks that were set off by the Glendo Volunteer Fire Department.

Glendo3: The weather was a bit nippy for the parade, the Christmas lighting and the fireworks. Kids had a chance to grab a hot chocolate and cookies while waiting for Santa Clause at the Glendo Community Center.

Glendo4: The Glendo Fire and Rescue truck is always a huge part of the Glendo Christmas parade. They usually bring up the rear, but that spot was reserved for Santa Clause and the police this year.

Glendo5: Only in Wyoming and most likely in Glendo would you see Santa ditching his sleigh so that he and Mrs. Claus can make their appearance in a tank. They had the jingle bells as Mrs. Clause popped up from a side hatch and threw candy to the waiting crowds.

Wland (A): The Thrifty Foods float won first place this year in the float contest with a brightly decorated lit Christmas tree, candy canes and some very cold Thrifty employees.

Wland1: The Wheatland Christmas parade last Friday night was done in weather that felt like -8 degrees. Leading the parade this year was the drill engine from an era gone by in Wheatland.

Wland2: The Wheatland parade featured a lot of different modes of transportation in the parade. Here Kelly Mixon rides his motorcycle on a flatbed trailer being pulled by a pickup truck. CVMA® 36-2, Preacher, Witt and El Tony O, represented in the Wheatland Festival of Lights Parade.

Wland3: Boy Scout troop 47 and pack 47 wished everyone a merry Christmas from just outside their gingerbread house that was located on the flatbed float with Gingerbread blow-ups on the back.

Wland5: The brightly lit blow-ups were bright in a clear and cold sky over Wheatland last Friday night. Frosty felt right at home with the colder weather.

Wland6: The Wheatland Fire trucks were out in full force during the Wheatland Christmas parade held last Friday night in sub zero weather. Santa and his Mrs. were riding in the back of the warmed up fire engine.