He'll be back | Santa now busy at North Pole preparing for Christmas

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By JENNIFER DUNVILLE
dunville.jennifer@dailygleaner.com

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The Santa Claus parade marks the end of a long to-do list for the Nashwaaksis Kin Club volunteers who organize the event ever year.

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The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Seven year old twins Brandon, left, and Bailey Chapman, right, hold up their letters to Santa while waiting to watch the Santa Clause Parade on King Street in Fredericton Saturday night.

The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Nathaniel Reid, 2, jumps up and down as Santa Clause gets closer during Saturdays Christmas Parade held in Fredericton. Reid was adopted from Ethiopia and this was his second Christmas in Canada

The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Carmella Vienneau holds up her dog Fannie while marching in the Santa Clause Parade held Saturday night in Fredericton.

The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Two year old Connor Waugh gets carried to the Fredericton Santa Clause Parade by his grandfather Jeff Byron on Saturday night.

The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Mrs. Clause waves to the residents watching as the Fredericton City Santa Clause Parade goes down King Street Saturday afternoon.

The Daily Gleaner/James West Pho

Bag pipers march down King Street as part of the Santa Clause parade held Saturday night in Fredericton.

But for children throughout the city, the parade is the beginning of an exciting holiday season.

Adam Barrieau bets his holidays will be filled with toys, laughter, treats and family fun.

"First we see Santa in the parade and then he gets ready for Christmas," the four-year-old Harvey resident said as he snuggled his toy panda during the parade Saturday. "Christmas is pretty soon."

Like many other Fredericton-area families, Krista Barrieau brought her sons to see the parade to get them ready for Christmas.

She said the annual event is a nice family outing that marks the beginning of the holiday season.

"The parade is something we all look forward to because it means that Christmas is right around the corner," Barrieau said. "We've been attending the parade since our oldest son Scott was born eight years ago.

"It's a tradition now and a wonderful way to get us all in the mood and excited for Santa Claus."

Siblings Matt, Emily, and Aidan Perry were among the thousands of people crowded in downtown Fredericton for the parade Saturday night.

Cuddled under a blanket, the trio held its letters for Santa, collected treats from the floats and enjoyed the lights and music of more than 50 travelling displays.

"This is my first time at this Santa parade," Matt Perry said. "It's pretty cool. We'll probably come again next year."

Arden Doak, chairman of the parade, said seeing the excitement of the children is the best part of the event.

"The smiles on their faces and the look in their eyes as the lighted floats go by is the reward for putting all this together," Doak said.

"The Kin Club does this for the kids and their families. We want to welcome the holiday season with the city and I think, especially this year with the good weather, we were able to do that."