It was cold. There was a parade. Santa Claus was in town.

That must mean one thing - the holiday season officially has arrived.

The Portsmouth Area Jaycees Christmas Parade attracted hundreds of onlookers lining both sides of the streets, as it made its way from Portsmouth High School to Valley Foods on Market Street on Thursday.

Portsmouth resident Chuck Kurtz said the parade helps get him into the Christmas spirit. Actually, he said he's always in the spirit.

“It's easier that way to buy Christmas presents early and get it all done,” Kurtz said.

He said the cold temperatures also helped get him into the Christmas mood.

Phyllis Hammond wasn't letting the cold keep her away from the parade either.

“I like to see this, with all the little kids,” she said. “I enjoy it.”

Bill and Mary Martha Questel were watching the parade by St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Fifth and Market streets. After the parade, they were going to attend a religious seminar at the church.

Mary Martha Questel didn't hesitate when asked what her favorite part of the parade was.

“Why Santa Claus,” she said. “You do believe in him, don't you? A lot people don't care for Santa Claus. But hey, that's for kids and adults. Santa Claus is real.”

She said the church seminar is a good way to tie in the religious aspect of Christmas with the secular one.

Questel said she is OK with the parade being so early in the holiday season.

“People have to plan,” she said. “The merchants only have such a time to get everything in. So no, that doesn't bother me at all.”

Steve Chapman of Portsmouth was watching the parade with some children not far from where the Questels were watching.

He said this is the best time to begin the holiday season.

“It got cold today and that helps,” Chapman said. “Just watching the kids and seeing them enjoy it is my favorite part of the parade.”

Scioto County Commissioner Mike Crabtree also was enjoying the parade, but sans jacket.

“I was sitting in the car,” he said. “And my wife is helping pass out candy canes with the Shriner hillbillies. So I got out of the car and didn't realize it was that cold.”

While Crabtree said it looked like people were enjoying the parade, he said he'd like for it to be earlier in the day.

“It's kind of hard to see some of the displays,” he said.

But he said this is a good time of the year to have it. That's because the colder temperatures later on may discourage people from coming to see the parade.

“But maybe not,” Crabtree said. “We've had a real warm summer, so maybe people thought it was going to be summer right up until Christmas.”