Elves in the Parade

This is what I call embedded reporting.

A few months ago, some of us at Patch had an idea to march in the Hometown Christmas Parade.

We didn't have a float or a band. We didn't have ponies or clowns or a fire-breathing dragon. And we certainly can't dance or sing (OK, so one of us can actually sing ... we have the video to prove that).

We had ourselves and our Patch iPhones — and that was enough to show, firsthand, what life is like for a few hours inside one of Rochester's biggest events of the year. We ended up with a great .

One of us had the idea to dress like elves. That's festive, right?

So here we were on Sunday morning, bundled up and hanging out outside , when all of a sudden it hit me: We're in the parade!

Not just any parade, the parade. The one that's stood the 60-year test of time, and the one that brings tens of thousands of people to Rochester's main drag on an otherwise gloomy Sunday in December.

That parade.

Here's the story, in photos and videos, of our day as entry No. 52 in Rochester's Hometown Christmas Parade.

Thanks to all of you who smiled and waved at us as we made our way down Main Street.

Did you see us? If you have a picture, go ahead and upload it here or email to Kristin.Bull@Patch.com

For complete coverage of Sunday's Hometown Christmas Parade, see our Special Section on Patch.