[Diver Dave]

Well Miss Daisy, I'm late, but I made it back and read through the whole thread.

What a great collection of Places of the Heart this has been. I've laughed and cried along with everyone.

There have been some graphics graphics, but there have been some beautiful pictures painted with the words of so many. I feel like I've traveled through the entire United States once again with the contributions today.

Thank you everyone for making this a very special day.

[Diver Dave]

Today's stories take me back to the time when I was 5 years old. We lived in Spokane, WA. Right in the middle of the residential area where we lived was a place called the Garland Business district which was about 4 blocks from our house. There was a drug store, grocery, appliance, Dutch Boy paint store, a couple of taverns and a "dime store" along with a few other business.

The dime store would always have a Santa sitting in a large chair near one of the front windows and all of us kids from the neighborhood would go to the dime store to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas.

In the evenings, after the dime store closed, Santa would go outside and climb on a float that was built by the Garland merchants and travel through the neighborhoods.

The float had a sleigh for Santa and three reindeer pulling the sleigh. The sleigh and reindeer were outline in neon lights and flood lights shined on the sleigh. Music was playing through the loudspeakers and Santa had a microphone and you could hear him hollering "HO HO HO, Merry Christmas for blocks. When he passed by our house, we would run out to the street and run beside him 'til he reached the corner. Little kids, big kids, Moms and Dads came outdoors in the cold to greet Santa.

The idea and concept went over so well, the city fire dept. had a sleigh built and every year through the time we left Spokane in '87, Santa has traveled every street in Spokane spreading the message of Merry Christmas to All and to all a good night. I imagine that it is still an annual event during the month of December.

[MistyCA]

thanks for the ping, DD. I haven't had the chance to read the entire thread, but I plan to. What I did read so far was very heartwarming. Thanks, Billie. Thanks, Daisy. You get many kudos and a few feathers in your cap for this one. :)