Holy Family's 'Keep Christ in Christmas' float won first place in the youth category at the annual Rochester Christmas parade
ROCHESTER — Angels, wise men, sheep, shepherds and more made their way down South Main Street in Rochester on sunny Saturday, Dec. 8, on a “Keep Christ in Christmas” float as part of the northern Oakland County community's annual Hometown Christmas Parade.
The biblical cast of characters riding on the float — made by the Rochester Knights of Columbus with help from Holy Family Catholic School and St. Andrew Parish — did just that and more, earning first prize in the parade's youth category.
The students and knights from the Father Baumgartner Knights of Columbus Council 5452 had the opportunity to share this important message with the hundreds who lined the streets for the annual parade, hosted by the Rochester Regional Chamber Foundation on the first Sunday of December. The parade dates back to the 1950s, and bills itself as “the largest Christmas parade in Michigan,” with more than 100 floats, marching bands and groups participating year after year.
Jeanette Izzi, director of enrollment at Holy Family Regional School for the past 10 years, said the school has participated in the parade for as “long as I can remember,” recalling her own children’s involvement almost 20 years ago.
“It is a great collaboration, and for us, it is important that our presence here all along Main Street remind people of our Catholic faith and the importance of keeping Christ in Christmas,” Izzi told Detroit Catholic.
The Knights began collaborating with the school and parish two years ago, according to Bob Simpson, a member of Council 5452. The Knights help build the float, and fourth-degree members march alongside the students and their families in the parade.
Izzi said the school offers all students the opportunity to participate in the float, but even those who don’t want to march get to play a part.
“Our art teacher, Kristi Pope, has all of the students get involved,” Izzi said. “This year, they made pinwheels, and they were all on the float. In the past years, they’ve made stars and stained glass. Even if maybe they are standing on Main Street watching the parade, they see their artwork go by as part of the float.”
The students enthusiastically sign up year after year, Izzi said. This year, in addition to the angels, sheep, and shepherds, the float carried three sets of kings, Izzi said. Two eighth graders were cast in the roles of Joseph and Mary.
The two eighth-grade students both commented to me that they were so honored to be chosen for this role,” Izzi said. "For us, it is a fun opportunity, but for them, it was a very important role of responsibility.”
Izzi added the school is proud to have won in the youth category multiple times, including in this year's parade. With the help of the Knights of Columbus, Holy Family also won best float overall in the 2023 parade.
The parade and Christmas tradition gives the school and the Knights an opportunity to make their presence known in the community and to bring a faith aspect to this local tradition, Izzi said.
“I think in today’s society, most of the holiday focuses on Santa Claus and even sometimes the Grinch,” Izzi said. “I think it is beautiful to see the true meaning (of Christmas). At Holy Family, we say, ‘Jesus Christ is the reason for our school,’ so that, to us, is the most special thing that we can make people focus on: the truth of the holiday.”
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