On the last Sunday of November a friend and I decided to spend the day downtown on Union Street to catch the two parades that day. The first was at noon and showcased Santa Claus with his four reindeer and young performers and marchers. The reindeer are locals, from the nearby Cairngorm National Park and are from the only wild reindeer population in the UK. After the parade they hung out at a nearby shopping center to greet children and children at heart.
While we waited for the later Lighting Ceremony and parade, we went to the Aberdeen Christmas Market a few blocks away. The market was split between food vendors, crafts and gifts, and finally, rides.
Finally, when the sun had gone down we headed back to Union Street to get good spots on the side of the street to view the lighting parade and watch the street decorations and tree be turned on for the season.
Acorn Abroad 