After Birthday Party Was Canceled, Community Surprises Two Children with Parade Down Street
Quarantine has people finding new and creative ways to go about their daily lives. While some may be dealing with stir-crazy kids or realizing having access to all their food during working hours is dangerous, others are making the most of this unique schedule.
Families are out walking more, for everyone’s sanity and enjoyment. Those home and garden projects that keep getting sidelined are finally being completed.
And while it may seem more difficult to show your friendship and love for people when you need to keep more than an arm’s length away, many have managed to come up with imaginative ways to display their care.
For Layla and Axel, two kids from Berwyn, Illinois, that came in the form of a parade when their birthday party had to be canceled.
Originally set for March 21, the party had to be postponed — sad no matter what your age, but especially for kids who’ve been anticipating the festivities.
Knowing what a blow the postponement must have been for the kiddos, friends decided to celebrate anyway, and Layla and Axel’s mom, Coryn Washington, posted a video of the parade on Facebook to share the joy.
The video shows a lineup of four vehicles slowly driving down the street. Each one pauses in front of the house, where the birthday girl and boy are hanging out on the porch, to shout their birthday wishes.
The parade was made extra-special by a variety of hand-written birthday posters, some sporting streamers, that were held from the car windows and doors as the passengers waved.
And, like with any quality parade, candy was tossed from the cars in the children’s direction, giving them something to look forward to beyond the well-wishes.
“We ❤❤❤ our community!!” Washington wrote in the video caption.
“Layla and Axel’s birthday party was supposed to be today and they were so sad that we had up postpone it. Instead they got a birthday parade!!”
“We love you guys and miss you so much!”
Comments on the video reveal that many viewers were touched by the show of friendship and respect. One commenter even said the video made him cry, and Washington responded saying that the event had made her cry, too.
“The kids were so happy and I was crying,” she wrote.
While the video was originally private, some asked Washington to make it public so more people could enjoy this bit of cheer.
“I made this shareable,” she commented. “We all need a little happiness right now.”
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