Posts Tagged ‘ bands ’

Feast of Cabbage

Posted on September 10th, 2018 Comments Off on Feast of Cabbage

Precious few cabbages, if we’re being honest.

Filed under: B Sides, Patrick Bay, Pictures

Parade of delinquency and terror, part 2

Posted on November 17th, 2009 4 Comments

In part 1 of this explosive exposé on the real Santa Claus Parade in Toronto, I went into detail on some of the hazards and ordeals that you are really subjecting your kids to by bringing them along to the event. You may not even be aware of this because, as an adult, you’ve had a good chunk of time to build up your comprehension and so your defences. It’s like understanding how lightning works; it’s still a nervous giggle of a WHAM! outside but you don’t hightail it under your couch like the cat. You know you’re safe.

Consider this, for example:

santa claus parade, 2009, yonge street, dundas street, university avenue, christmas, seasonal, holiday, parade, crowd, people, children, floats, toronto, city, life

Awww. You see Santa’s Workshop, a few rosy-cheeked, satisfied elves sitting outside with the happy labours of the year past, some cute houses topped with fluffy snow and powdered sugar. Merry Christmas, kids!

From another angle, this is Santa’s Sweatshop, miserly and terribly underdressed children cast outside their warm shelters in the middle of a cold Siberian winter, no doubt for under-producing for the “jolly old elf” (who’s probably enjoying himself a back-alley rub-and-tug somewhere in Bangkok). Merry freakin’ Christmas, kids.

At this point, some parents may say, “But I’ve taught my kids well. They’ll make the right choices.” I’ve no reason to doubt anyone’s parenting skills, but upbringing is no match for military-style indoctrination. Pretty soon your kid’s goose-stepping down University Avenue with the rest of his comrades:

santa claus parade, 2009, yonge street, dundas street, university avenue, christmas, seasonal, holiday, parade, crowd, people, children, floats, toronto, city, life

Still not willing to co-operate? Let’s see how he feels after this:

santa claus parade, 2009, yonge street, dundas street, university avenue, christmas, seasonal, holiday, parade, crowd, people, children, band, floats, toronto, city, life

No? I see; junior likes to play hardball, huh?

santa claus parade, 2009, yonge street, dundas street, university avenue, christmas, seasonal, holiday, parade, crowd, people, marching band, children, floats, toronto, city, life

That’s right. If they don’t get him one way, it’ll be another. Do you really want your kid playing a tuba? What kind of a horrible parent are you to even consider that question?

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Filed under: B Sides, Pictures

Parade of delinquency and terror, part 1

Posted on November 16th, 2009 8 Comments

After squeezing my way through my second annual procession on Sunday, I can say without hesitation that the Santa Claus Parade is no place to bring your kids. The dangers are many and very, very real.

To begin with, you have strange men winding their way through the audience snapping random pictures of children and posting them on only God-knows what website. That alone should be enough, but there’s much more to be wary of.

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Filed under: B Sides, Pictures