What does everyone do with the beads? Never understood that.
HA! Good question. Many people stick the shiny jewel-like beads in boxes or baskets until several years later when they throw them away. Other people recycle them to be used in later parades or given away. Some people like to hang them from their rear-view mirrors. They can be used for various types of decoration and in “arts and crafts.” I have used them to make long and wide rope grids for climbing vines on our porch.
In other words, they’re a fairly useless trinket that people sometimes covet like maniacs and some have been known to kick other people’s butts to get their hands on them during a parade.
But, mostly, everyone has a fun time catching beads and other throws, smiling and laughing, waving and sometimes hollering at the float riders who toss the parade gifts.