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While much of the world's attention was focused on the Second World War throughout the first half of the decade, the parade went on every year without interruption.
Toronto was not the only city to host visits from Santa Claus. Parades were also held in Winnipeg and Montreal.
The image to the right is from the 1944 running of the Montreal
parade, while the photos below are from the 1945 edition.
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Click
here to see larger image (89K)
Christmas Parade,
Montreal, November 25, 1944
Black and white print
Reference Code: F 229-308-0-778
Archives of Ontario, I0020531
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Click
here to see larger image (88K)
Christmas Parade,
Montreal, November 25, 1945
Black and white print
Reference Code: F 229-308-0-779
Archives of Ontario, I0020532
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Click
here to see larger image (94K)
Christmas Parade,
Montreal, November 25, 1945
Black and white print
Reference Code: F 229-308-0-779
Archives of Ontario, I0020533
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Click
here to see larger image (243K)
Christmas Parade, Montreal, 1941
Black and white print
Reference Code: F 229-308-0-777
Archives of Ontario, I0020446 |
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| Eaton's launched Punkinhead, the teddy bear with
the thick woolly tuft of hair, for the Christmas season of 1948.
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 The
story of the little bear who eventually gets to be in Santa's
Parade charmed children for the next decade and everyone would
cheer for Santa's little helper in the Parade.
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Punkinhead Storybook, 1948
Christmas Merchandise & Promotion
Reference Code: F 229-162-0-538
Archives of Ontario |
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The earliest film footage in the Archives collection of Punkinhead
in the parade is from the 1949 parade. It is included in the clip
to the right.
The clips below are also from the 1949 parade.
To learn more about Punkinhead, Click
Here.
Santa Claus parade, 1949
16mm motion picture film
colour original reversal, silent
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-14
Archives of Ontario
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Santa Claus parade, 1949
16mm motion picture film
colour original reversal, silent
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-14
Archives of Ontario
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Santa Claus parade, 1949
16mm motion picture film
colour original reversal, silent
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-14
Archives of Ontario
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"...I was taken to
see Santa by my parents, it was such a wonderful experience.
The parade was so exciting and of course, outside of Santa,
Punkinhead was my favorite.  The
clowns and the bands were a delight. Then going in to see
Santa, standing in line for what seemed forever, didn't
matter because Santa was at the end of it. I still remember
the train ride and candy cane and of course the coloring
book. Eatons was a magical place to be.
Now many many years later I take my grandchildren to
see the parade. I enjoy every minute of it and I smile from
within remembering the parades of my childhood. Thats what
Christmas was! I would love for my grandchildren to be able
to feel Christmas the way my memories do. Its right in your
heart and soul."
D. R.
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 "As
a child growing up in the 1940's in Toronto, I have very
vivid memories of the Eaton's Santa Claus Parades. Standing
on windy street corners for what seemed like an eternity,
wrapped in a warm snowsuit with a blanket about my shoulders,
I always waited in great anticipation for the parade to
begin.
I loved the marching bands and the floats, which to
my young eyes were so magical. Every Christmas season, my
family always made a special trip from North Toronto to
Eaton's downtown store to see the Christmas windows.
For me, the parade and the windows were truly magical
experiences. Ones that are so hard to explain to children
in this very wired world. I am glad that I had the privilege
of being from that earlier pre-television generation. Perhaps
magic was easier to experience then."
N. M. |
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Although the parade had always been universally
recognized as “Eaton’s Santa Claus Parade, ”
in 1954, long time parade coordinator Jack A. Brockie decided
to build each parade around a specific theme. For 1954 the theme
was ‘Rhymes and Fairy Tales from Distant Lands’. |
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Eaton's usually produced colouring books that echoed the theme
of the parade. In 1956 the theme was the 'Parade of Happy
Months'. The cover of that year's colouring book is shown
to the left. To see the complete colouring book, click
here.
The theme for 1958 was ‘The Royal Road to Toyland’,
and in 1960 'Santa’s
Parade of the Storyland Alphabet’. Other titles
include ‘The Parade of Happy Times,’
‘Fun and Fantasy’ and, in 1969, the
Parade helped Eaton’s celebrate the store's '100th”
Anniversary' presentation.
Several later parades were based on the theme, “From
Eaton’s a Christmas to Remember”. |
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In other years we have reproduced other Eaton's Santa Claus
Parade Colouring Books. If you would like to see them, click the
links below.
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 “My
fondest memory of Christmas past is sitting on the curb
on University Avenue in the cold while the snow tumbled
down around us waiting impatiently for the parade to begin.
The excitement generated by all the onlookers sent tingles
of joy everywhere. When the parade was finished you couldn't
go home without first stopping at Eaton's and seeing (with
nose pressed to the window) all the toys and games that
we could ask Santa for when we had the opportunity to be
important and sit on his knee.”
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Santa Claus parade 1956
16mm motion picture film
colour composite release print, optical sound
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-37
Archives of Ontario
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Santa Claus parade 1956
16mm motion picture film
colour composite release print, optical sound
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-37
Archives of Ontario
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Santa Claus parade 1956
16mm motion picture film
colour composite release print, optical sound
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-37
Archives of Ontario |
Santa Claus parade 1956
16mm motion picture film
colour composite release print, optical sound
Reference Code: F 229-400-0-37
Archives of Ontario
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