This Thursday, downtown West Point was host to the Valleywide Christmas parade. Even before a cacophony of lights and sounds marched down 3rd Avenue, people from all over the Greater Valley Area were parking their cars, donning their holiday gear and finding a spot on either the route or a float.

It was an exciting event, and a lot of that excitement came from the cheerful unity that seemed to be the biggest thematic element of the whole thing.

Everyone was there to see the best of the Valley, whether it was high school bands, local business floats or local chapters of boy and girl scout troops. Even those not part of certain groups or schools cheered with the same tenacity for everyone, all to celebrate the area they love and the aspects that make them love it.

It always seems to be around this time of year that people feel this sense of unification with their neighbors. Be it the holidays or just the promise of a new year just over the horizon, people tend to put their grievances of the year aside to make room for community-driven events like Thursday night’s parade. “The most wonderful time of the year” can bring out the ugliness in shoppers and family members, but the overall aura of brotherly love is almost as apparent as the crisp, cold air for everyone else.

It’s great that people can manage this for a month or two, but it would be even better if it could last all 12. In such a divisive and easily-excitable country and world, taking the same air of friendliness would improve everyone’s lives. It shouldn’t take presents under the tree or Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit to bring us all together, it should only take the same state of mind that we have throughout the holiday season: we are all important to the community, let’s celebrate that.

The parade brought out the best of the Valley. Let’s keep it up year-round.