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Jolly Holiday Celebration Puts Smiles On Tiny Faces

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By PAUL CATALA, Tribune Correspondent

Published: December 11, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - For 9-year-old Moises Garcia, the cold, white stuff was a new experience.
Standing in a rapidly melting 20-ton pile of shaved-ice "snow," his two minutes on the mound was an adventure.
"Ooh, it's cold! Look, my fingers are frozen!" said the Riverhills Elementary School pupil. "Next time, I'll bring mittens."
Moises, who was born in New Jersey but moved to Florida as a baby, was among the children at a Temple Terrace festival enjoying their first encounter with snow.
The cold stuff on a warm Florida winter night was among the activities, events and exhibitions at the annual Winter Wonderland and Lighted Golf Cart Parade on Dec. 8 at Riverhills Park.
For the past 11 years, the city and event sponsors have brought some semblance of a traditional holiday celebration to those for whom winter weather means only an occasional frost.
For the first time, this year's festival featured a lighted golf cart parade – five carts elaborately decorated with colorful blinking lights, tinsel, ornaments, wreaths and other embellishments.
Pulling up the rear, Santa Claus arrived on a cart. Waving to the line of onlookers, the jolly one belted out "Ho, ho, ho" and greeted children. He moved to a chair to hear Christmas wish lists.
Michelle Tallent of Temple Terrace prompted her children – Cameron, 5, Hannah, 10 and Rebecca, 7 – to get in line.
"It's very nice this year and we enjoyed the parade," she said.
Other events included a hayride, bonfire and Christmas carol sing-along.
Chris Matthews, Temple Terrace Parks and Recreation Department special events coordinator, said about 3,000 people attended this year's event.
"An event like this ... gives everyone a chance to come together as a group and celebrate the winter holidays as one," he said.

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