I’m writing this post because, well just because. I’m not looking for condolences, but it has been five years since my mom passed away and New Year’s Day was always special to her. There are many times during the year when my mom pops into my head, her birthday, wedding anniversary, anytime I’m eating dessert (my mom loved dessert), but New Year’s always brings a special memory of mom home for me, the Mummer’s Parade. Now, the Mummers are a Philly thing, really a South Philly thing! I’m quite sure that if a foreigner came to town on Jan 1, they wouldn’t know what to make of the Mummer’s parade, but it is our thing.
My mom grew up in South Philly, on 2nd St, she was the youngest of 9 children and the only girl, I can’t imagine what it was like to pick her up for a date. For those of you who don’t know, the parade takes place up on Broad St, but the real parade finishes up on “Two St”. My uncle’s house on Second St has passed down through generations of the Callan family, my grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, my cousins all grew up and lived in the area. I can remember spending many a New Year’s Day at my Uncle Bob’s house being right in the middle of all the festivities’. Total strangers hugging each other, dancing in the streets and people just loving each other, being Philly people, weather conditions didn’t matter, just lots of fun and love! My family is part of the comics division, Froggy Carr, the real mummers I like to say. These guys know how to put on a parade and parade they do!
I watched some of the parade on TV yesterday and as I did, I thought, mom is up there with all her family watching their descendants party like only the Mummers can and they had the best view in the house! Miss you mom, hope you enjoyed the Mummers!
