The annual Christmas parade that draws hundreds to downtown Selma is far more than floats and bands. It is made up of more than fire trucks and elementary school cheerleading squads.

The annual Christmas parade, believe it or not, is even bigger than the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

The parade, which contains representatives from area volunteer fire departments, schools, businesses and organizations, is a true jewel of our community, but is only possible through the tremendous efforts of a number of different agencies and the tireless work of volunteers.

The parade doesn’t organize itself nor do the participants puts themselves in the right order.

Thanks to weeks of work by the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce staff, who advertise the parade and register the participants in addition to organizing volunteers, the parade becomes a reality.

Thanks to the work of the Selma Police Department, its officers and traffic control staff, the parade is able to safely travel the streets of Selma and traffic can be efficiently rerouted around the parade.

The parade is much bigger than the number of floats, or the number of participants; it is a community event that draws residents of all ages and all backgrounds.

And while it is a great event, it would not even be a possibility if it weren’t for all the hard-working elves that made Santa’s arrival in Selma a reality.