It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Except for the Leaves at the Curbs

Our ROPD led the 2011 Royal Oak Holiday Magic Parade

The ROFD added Christmas red to the start of the parade

Borgo School of Dance (Royal Oak) Dance Team

ROHS Marching Band

ROHS Dance Team

Holiday Market sponsored Toys for Tots (and Gina drove the van)

Our neighborhood Northwood Girl Scouts dressed as holiday presents

Thousands of friends and neighbors lined Washington for the parade

Oakland County Sheriff Bouchard

Hello Santa (and Mrs. Claus)!

Mayor Ellison, Santa and Grand Marshal Jim Harper officially start the holiday season in Royal Oak

The Saad family - Doris, Amanda, Juli and Dan (taking the picture) wish the VEHA Happy Holidays!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the VEHA - except for the leaves still piled at our curb sides.! The holiday season officially began here in Royal Oak with the 11th annual Holiday Magic Parade Downtown on Saturday, November 19. Thousands of friends and neighbors lined the parade route to cheer our Royal Oak Police and Fire Departments, the Royal Oak High School Marching Band and Dance Team; and many other special members of the community including Borgo School of Dance (whose Dance Team performed) and Holiday Market (sponsor of this year's Marine Corps "Toys for Tots").

My neighbors are taking advantage of the mild November weather to put up their Christmas lights and set up other outdoor decorations. I admire them. I have a tradition of my own, however. I put up my lights and outdoor decorations the first weekend of December that we record a single-digit wind chill index. Smart? No. But what are the holidays without tradition?

Speaking of tradition - we will soon be "... lighting up our corner of the world" (as Luminary Chairperson Norma Regenold always says) with our traditional VEHA Luminary display on Christmas Eve. Your Block Captains will be delivering order forms before and after Thanksgiving - be sure to take part; the warm, gentle glow on Christmas Eve reflects the spirit of the VEHA and everyone who lives here in our corner of the world.

And when you're out there on Christmas Eve, take a moment to wish your neighbor a "Merry Christmas!"

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Dan Saad, VEHA Editor
daniel.saad@djscomm.com

Send me news and information for January - I'll be posting holiday "afterglow" photos from the VEHA and catching everyone up on the latest in our neighborhood!