Christmas holiday in Siouxland, Sioux City

The Christmas holiday is beginning in the Siouxland area. Various places are having a celebration before the Jolly Old Elf visits, some even before Thanksgiving. I like the Christmas season. It’s full of joy and wonderful smells (think food) and sites (think decorations) and even, snow. Yes, the white stuff. With warm enough temps and lots of it, it is hard to resist being outside.

I guess what I really enjoy about Christmas, besides the Biblical exaltation and many church programs, is its quaintness. At least what I perceive. The U.S. travel writer/tour guide Rick Steves produced a few years back a video showing various Christmas celebrations in various European cities and countries. The visits were very quaint and I believe the essence of Christmas celebrations.

The City of Sioux City held its lighted Christmas parade recently. And a fairly nice size crowd turned out to see it. Lighted parades can be good or mediocre. If the parade float is well lit and easy to see, it’s a delight and people enjoy it.  But if there are only a few strings of light tossed about an entry it leaves a bit to a person’s imagination. Also, the city did not have some street lamps turned on lighting the street like it usually does. and without the streets lights, yes, it made it easier to see some of the floats that were lit, but for others, it was difficult. It just seemed odd.

For shooting photos, I was pushing my ISO to 3200 and shooting slow shutter speeds and a bit wide open. Sometimes using a little faster shutter speed, and not using flash. I talked with a couple who brought their children and asked them about the parade, and they seemed disappointed. They felt the parade was a little sad and it seemed to take forever. Maybe with too few floats, no one wanted the parade to end too soon and for Santa’s visit to be drawn out.

I have attended other local lighted Christmas parades, such as Le Mars, Iowa, and it seems full of life and alive. Curious how the same holiday can some times be interpreted in different ways.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

People waiting for Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Street lamps along the parade route remained unlit untli the Christmas tree lighting making it difficult to see some aspects of the Sioux City, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A animal humane group parades dogs for adoption during Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A snowman greeting parade goers for Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A couple documents their Christmas holiday during Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A parade participant wearing his antlers during Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

One of the lighted parade floats in Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Santa waves to the crowd patiently waiting for him to arrive at Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The Christmas tree lighting to highlight Sioux City’s, Iowa, Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in the downtown area. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)