Santa Claus was supposed to be the high point of the 1950 Christmas parade. But a snowball barrage drove him off his sleigh. (Courtesy State Journal-Register)
Santa Claus, of all people, should have felt right at home when a four-inch snowfall greeted Springfield’s 1950 Christmas parade. But Santa couldn’t overcome a barrage of snowballs.
The parade, which stepped off from Fifth Street and Lawrence Avenue the evening of Dec. 5, 1950, was a big one. It featured nine bands, 30 floats and $100,000 worth of rented balloon characters. The Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register, who co-sponsored the parade with the Springfield Jaycees, predicted the event would be the most colorful in city history. They expected 20,000 or more spectators.
Santa Claus’s float, complete with sleigh and two reindeer figures atop a giant world globe, was to be the finishing touch, the high point of the parade.
The parade started out as promised. The floats, bands and balloons all delivered. But the snow, picturesque as it was, turned out to be too much temptation. From the Register’s coverage on Dec. 6:
The huge parade featured papier-mache figures, huge balloon animals and a four-unit train, and 12 floats depicting Christmas scenes. It drew one of the largest crowds of any parade held in the city, and the heavy snow provided an appropriate background …
While the snow fell gently all around, the wonders of Christmas rolled by in front of wide-eyed children and shining-eyed grownups.
It wasn’t all wonder, however, at least not a wonderful wonder. For Santa Claus’ sleigh on top of a huge world float was empty for more than half of the parade.
School boys looking at the snow, and then at Santa Claus’ fine figure, grabbed up the soft white flakes, turned them into hard cold ammunition and shelled Santa Claus right out of his sleigh.
“Santa was forced to retire from his float in the vicinity of Fifth and Adams streets after almost continuous snowballing from the parade’s start at Fifth Street and Lawrence Avenue,” the Journal added. “High school youths were credited with causing the ‘unconditional surrender of Santa.’”
Kids bundled up in the cold to watch the parade (SJ-R)
“Many of the little ones who had stood for more than an hour in the snow at the middle and end of the parade route had big lumps in their throats and tears in their eyes when they saw Santa’s reindeer and empty sleigh, across which was flung a huge red coat with white trim,” the Register story concluded.
“It had been the Christmas parade, with snow and everything, but to many children, Santa’d been nowhere to be seen.
“Some of the older boys,” the paper said, “forgot it was the Christmas season.”
In follow-ups, a Journal editorial blamed the snowball fracas on “hooliganism.”
“Perhaps next year, if it snows on the night of the parade, a nobler spirit will stay the pitching arms of irreverent youth,” the editorial said.
Jaycees organizers said they were disgusted by the snowy attack on Santa. But they vowed to bring him back in 1951, even if they had to equip his sled with a plastic shield.
No need. The 1951 parade took place in 50-degree weather, and Santa reclaimed his status as the star of the holiday season.
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