Hail and season's greetings Santa

Approximately 250,000 mothers, fathers and children lined Auckland central city streets. Picture / Greg Bowker

A hail shower brought a little bit of a white Christmas to Queen St at the start of yesterday's Santa parade.

It was already shaping up to be four seasons in one day - windy, cold, sunny and cloudy - when hail fell for a few minutes just as the parade got underway.

Coveted street edge positions were abandoned as people rushed under shop eaves to avoid a drenching.

But the shower passed quickly and parade etiquette largely allowed people to resume their places.

A Browns Bay family arrived on Queen St at midday but cunningly first had lunch at a street side coffee shop from where they could grab front row positions before it was too late.

The Adkins had not been to the Farmers Santa Parade before, having lived in Australia for five years.

Sam, 9, thought he might be a little old for it but brothers Ben, 8, and Jack, 4, were looking forward to seeing Spongebob Squarepants.

Father Barry Adkins said they decided to come after hearing good reviews of the parade last year.

Sam liked the bagpipes, Ben liked the Shortland St float and Jack liked Santa.

While enjoying the floats, Barry and his wife Erin finally liked the fact that it was over.

"It was too long really," said Mrs Adkins.

The parade included all the regulars such as marching girls, brass bands, fairies and ghouls.

Fred Dagg in gumboots carried lamingtons and pavlovas, New Zealand Idol Rosita Vai drove by as did Bob the Builder.

A huge blow-up reindeer really got the cameras clicking but in case we all forgot what it was about Joseph and Mary got a look in as well as a donkey.

And proof to Sam you're never too old for Christmas parades, a group of 20-something lads called out "we love you Santa" as the man himself brought up the rear.

That's the Christmas spirit.