This time of year is always a very special time.

It’s a time when we get in the Christmas spirit. Many people hop into their cars with their families to go pick out a fresh-cut Christmas tree or get an artificial one out of their basements or attics. People get to spend time with their family members decorating the tree, putting stockings on the mantle and decorating the house with other Christmas-related items such as garland, a manger scene or Santa Claus and his elves.

It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. 

This is the time of the year to really get into it, and judging from the Christmas displays we have seen in our community in years past, people really do get into it.

Decorating trees and the house for Christmas is just one part of it, though.

What would this holiday be if we didn’t have Christmas parades?

Christmas parades are such a huge part of Christmas. The parades provide a great deal of entertainment for families and especially their kids. Watching the various cars and floats go through our community and surrounding towns is always a wonderful experience. 

Bowling Green has a long history of putting on wonderful Christmas parades. 

This year looks like there will be a very exciting Christmas parade with a little extra fun events added on. 

The Bowling Green Jaycees Christmas Parade, themed “Our Christmas Wish,” will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The parade starts on the square at College Street and Main Avenue, goes up to 12th Avenue, turns left, turns left again on State Street and finishes on Sixth Avenue. The grand marshal will be Chapel Tinius, the current Miss Kentucky Outstanding Teen.

Three-fourths of the 100 entries are floats.

Kicking off the parade will be “A Miracle on College Street Mile,” a one-mile fun run that benefits Life’s Better Together, a local nonprofit that provides financial assistance to a child or parent battling an ongoing chronic illness. The fun run starts at 9 a.m. Cost is $20 for an individual or $60 for a family or team of four. The first 250 participants get Santa hats and shirts. 

Runners will start at the South Pole at College Street and Main Avenue, sponsored by Bowling Green Orthotics and Prosthetics and end at the North Pole at Booth Fire and Safety sponsored by Guaranteed Pest Control. The title sponsor is ServPro. At the finish line, M & L Electrical will provide a pancake breakfast for participants.

It sounds like this will be a very fun-filled Christmas parade on Saturday. The festivities actually start Friday, when Downtown Lights Up on Fountain Square Park will be held. The activities will begin at 5 p.m.

Surrounding areas and cities will also be holding Christmas parades this weekend and in the days following it. For a full list of other area Christmas parades, please visit bgdailynews.com. 

We really encourage people to come out to the Bowling Green Christmas parade on Saturday and some of the other area parades.

We truly believe they won’t regret going to them.