Bethlehem Star Parade

One of the highlights of the Christmas season when I was growing up was the Bethlehem Star Parade. It was a parade of a smaller scale than the Rose Parade. Both parades took place in the valley where I grew up.

The Bethlehem Star Parade was one that was sponsored, as I recall, by the local newspaper, The Valley Green Sheet (now known as The Daily News). Amazing, isn't it, that a secular newspaper would sponsor something so totally religious in nature.

What I remember about it was that the floats in it were designed to tell a portion of the Christmas story. Sequentially as I recall. There may also have been choirs or marching bands. I think there was, but I don't remember that part.

I think that local churches took responsibility for providing a float for their portion of the story. Our church never did it as far as I remember. I'm not sure why.

Anyway, the parade took place in Van Nuys, on Van Nuys Boulevard. It was at night, and it was always televised on the local TV channel. It was a big deal!

It was a different time back then. Religion was a part of the culture of America and very mainstream. No one thought anything about it being "inappropriate" to have a religious type activity in the public square.

Every year we looked forward to the parade. It was really cool!