Christmas Parade Keeping 'Love' of Hampton 'Alive'

Submitted by Experience Hampton

Generations of bystanders and participants have enjoyed the festivities of the Hampton Christmas Parade. Born in 1936, lifelong Hampton resident Glyn Eastman is happy to share his fondness for the parade.

“The Hampton Christmas Parade tells me my love of this town is being kept alive. Watching all the young people smiling, marching and waving makes me feel proud, knowing this wonderful town is thriving. It gives me peace in my later years,” says Eastman.

Eastman now resides at Partridge House, on Lafayette Road in Hampton. He attended Hampton Academy and Centre School, which used to be the high school. He later attended Bentley College and served in the U.S. Navy.

Glyn Eastman served six years on the budget committee and was a selectman for twelve years. Herb Casassa hired him to run the store known as, “Colts,” (where Present Perfect is now located), where he remained for 32 years and retired in 1984.

Glyn remembers the area when, “there was no Route I-95, but instead there was a commuter train at Depot Square. He recalls how buses lined up at the stop to transport vacationers to Hampton Beach. There, as many as 55 paperboys would sell The Globe, the Record American and the Herald – papers that had been delivered earlier to Colts.”

Glyn Eastman and his generation of residents helped make Hampton what it is today. The Hampton Christmas Parade hopes to reflect the hard work, pride, tradition and history of people like Eastman and those that have followed in his footsteps.  

This year, the theme for Downtown Hampton’s Annual Christmas Parade, is “SEA the Miracles," and is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1. For more information, please visit www.experiencehamptonnh.org.