Christmas Parade Floats

From LoveToKnow Christmas

Christmas parade floats delight children and adults of all ages. From the traditional presentation of holiday colors to a high-tech light display, planning ahead will help you craft a memorable creation.

Getting Started

If you want to enter a Christmas float in a parade, make sure to follow the event regulations. There will be specific requirements regarding parade theme, float size, type of entry, and transport. For most community holiday parades, the average size for a float is 15 ft. or less, depending on the type of trailer used to haul it.

You’ll need a strong structural foundation for the float and safety guidelines in place. Adhering to these factors may affect your design. For example, no matter how fun it would be to have individuals acting as ornaments on a 30 ft. high Christmas tree, it’s probably not the safest idea. Each float rider should wear a float harness, especially if throwing candy or trinkets to parade watchers.

You can rent floats that are already constructed from some municipalities and parade organizers. These floats retain the same theme year after year; civic groups, school athletic teams, and businesses rent them instead of building. If you want a presence in a parade but don’t have the time to make a float, this might be a good option.

Take time to experiment with a few designs on paper first to communicate the message and theme of your Christmas parade float. From there, you should be able to find all sorts of supplies and decorations to make your idea come to life.

Decorating Your Float

If you want to be hands-on and have a large team to construct a float, there are many material sources. Simply visit a home improvement center or a holiday shop such as Mr. Christmas for adornments and lights.

Kits used for other special events make quick work of float decorating. For example, companies such as Shindigz.com specialize in standees, banners, and other decorations that make designing a Christmas parade float easy. This Nutcracker kit is a stately holiday display. Set up this “Holiday Wish” kit and gather children and adults within the frame.

Check out the following online retailers for more float decorating supplies:

Ideas for Christmas Parade Floats

Almost any Christmas theme can be made larger than life on a Christmas parade float.

  • If you only have space for one or two people on the float platform, try this snowman backdrop.
  • The sight of Disney characters decked out in holiday style will make children cheer with delight. Be sure to use licensed Disney costumes and merchandise.
  • Day or night, a holiday toy train patterned after the Polar Express is a treat.
  • There are many simple ways to use trees on Christmas parade floats.

Make ‘Em Smile

Remember, as stunning as your float may be, you still want a way to interact with the parade watchers and bring smiles to their faces. You can do this with fun music, mini-skits, hand-delivery of trinkets and candy, dancing, and other one-on-one activities.

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