The Christmas Pageant in Adelaide is an institution. It was started by Sir Edward Hayward, the owner of the iconic Adelaide department store John Martin’s. Sir Edwards was inspired by the Toronto Santa Claus Parade and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The first pageant was run on November 18, 1933, during the Great Depression, and the goal was to use the parade to bring festive spirit to the city and to attract people back into his department store as a kickoff to the Christmas retail season.
To that end, the pageant traditionally wound up at the Magic Cave inside John Martin’s. Since the retailer collapsed, other institutions have taken over sponsorship with State Government support.
And so, the pageant entwines Christmas spirit with retail necessity and so this song holds both motivations in tension. It’s not that retailing is bad, far from it, the line that is crossed, in my opinion, is when people get sucked into buying “stuff” to demonstrate “love” (at best) or just maintain status (at worst).
But the song starts where it ends, with children. There’s something special about the early mornings, finding spaces, playing with chalk on the footpath, sitting back behind the blue line, and passing around treats. The reality for parents is a little less rose-coloured than that but every inconvenience is outweighed by the sound of kids squealing with delight.
Pageant Time Raw Notes
Pageant Time Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Chalk on the footpath
Chairs all around
Childhoods remembered
That joyous sound
The fairytales
The marching bands
Some children cheering
While others dance
[Chorus]
‘Coz it’s Pageant time of year
Bring out the tinsel
Sound out the cheer
Because no matter what’s
Happening in the world
We should take time
To remember
Every boy, and every girl
[Verse 2]
The advertising
Starts getting loud
Childhood gets price tags
And shopping crowds
But in our hearts
We know the score
We’d rather presence
Than getting more
[Chorus]
‘Coz it’s Pageant time of year
Bring out the tinsel
Sound out the cheer
Because no matter what’s
Happening in the world
We should take time
To remember
Every boy, and every girl
[Bridge]
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Santa’s on his way
Let’s try to keep this wonder
Well after Christmas Day
[Verse 3]
It’s still in there
Our inner child
It wants fresh air
And running wild
Amid the parties
And all the noise
Remember we are
All girls and boys
[Chorus]
‘Coz it’s Pageant time of year
Bring out the tinsel,
Sound out the cheer
Because no matter what’s
Happening in the world
We should take time
To remember
Every boy, and every girl