It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Although the season will look a little different this year, Fallbrook residents have been able to come together and find safe ways to celebrate the holidays. These celebrations include the reverse Christmas Parade as well as a donated star sign featured on Main Avenue.

After learning about the reverse Christmas Parade this year, long-time Fallbrook resident Roger Boddaert wanted to find a way to contribute and help the community celebrate. Boddaert decided to donate one of his own possessions to be placed on Main, a beautiful Texaco star sign from the 1930's.

"I had to do something," he said. "The star used to be featured in my garden and I wanted to do something extra, so I repainted it and hauled it up to Main Street."

The tree on Main that now features the star was important to Boddaert because he and his family have been sitting by that tree, while watching the Christmas Parade, for more than 30 years.

"We watch the Christmas parade right in front of that tree," he said. "My kids, my grandkids, we always sit right there."

Volunteers Tim O'Leary, Tomas Rodas, Bill O'Connor, Lila MacDonald and Jackie Heyneman helped Boddaert hoist the star into the tree for the rest of Fallbrook to enjoy.

"We wanted to share the joy with everyone in Fallbrook and remind them to keep the faith!" He said.

Along with the new star on Main, the community is looking forward to the upcoming reverse Christmas Parade on Dec. 5 at 5 p.m.

MacDonald, CEO of the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, is very excited to have the opportunity to continue the tradition of the Fallbrook Christmas Parade despite the pandemic.

"We felt like we've had to cancel so much this year," she said. "This way, we can have the Christmas Parade safely."

After speaking to other Chambers of Commerce, MacDonald decided that the reverse Christmas Parade would be the safest way to continue the tradition. This way, people attending the parade are able to stay in their cars while observing the parade floats. They are not allowed to walk through the parade; attendees are to remain in their car at all times to adhere to current safety procedures.

The reverse Christmas Parade's theme is "Home for the Holidays," and it will feature 25 parade floats. A few of the floats are the Miss Fallbrook Courts, Honorary Mayor, the Bonsall Little League, the Food Pantry, the Vineyard at 1924, besides many more.

This is the 39th year of the Fallbrook Christmas Parade, and the Chamber of Commerce wanted to ensure that Fallbrook could continue this tradition.