The Santa Parade

As you know, I think everyone should play in a brass band and this is because playing harmonic music once a week does something for your mind that is exceptionally good for your mental health and the breath control that comes with playing a wind instrument is exceptionally good for your physical health.

And if learning how to play a brass instrument is beyond you, I recommend you join a choir. You'll get the harmonic music and the breath control. You just won't be as cool.

For example, there were more than 50 floats in this year's Barrhaven Santa Claus parade and I doubt that any of them had choirs in them.

But every year, one of those floats holds the Maple Leaf Brass Band. It is a weird thing to be slowly rolling along Strandherd Drive passing throngs of friendly people while playing Wassail Song, Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas over and over again. A weird thing, but also a strangely fun thing.

Because I am in a brass band, when I go to work tomorrow and someone asks me "what did you do on the weekend?" I will say, "well, I was in a parade."

[Click the picture or here to go to a slideshow of parade photos]