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Walking down Main Street to go take some photos of the floats before the Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade, a gentleman yelled, “Merry Christmas!”

A few steps later, I turned back, smiled and said, “You, too!”

Christmas is the best time of year for so many reasons, isn’t it?

You’ve got the annual gatherings and parties, gifts under the tree and more importantly, the season’s meaning.

Here in Atmore, area residents can experience all three, and the parade was the tip of the iceberg.

The parade theme this year revolved around the “Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”

Some 68 entries, many floats, catered their design around the famous tale.

As I sat, yes in the middle of the railroad tracks taking pictures, I marveled at the sheer creativeness of each float that creaked by on Main Street.

Kudos to all for their hard work and dedication to the cause.

Another thing I noticed was the amount of people that attended the parade.

Chamber Executive Director Emily Wilson said she didn’t notice a thin section along the parade route.

That’s great for Atmore.

Now that the final few parties will come and go, there’s a space of time that will allow us a breather before Christmas.

Take that time and reflect on the season itself, and the reason why we celebrate it each year.