Although the main idea of the parade is to spread holiday cheer and have a good time, there was also a competitive element. The question remained: who would win top honors in the collection of categories for floats, cars, trucks, musical acts and novelty groups? While we don't have room to list every single participant, the Los Gatos Weekly-Times did obtain a list of the first- and second-place winners in every category that had entrants, compliments of the Los Gatos­Saratoga Community Education and Recreation Department.

Parade award winners

Best commercial float
First—Classic Cleaning of Los Gatos; second—C.B. Hannegan's

Best amateur float by adults and children over 12 years old
First—Community Hospital of Los Gatos; second—Baylands Quarter Midgets

Best amateur float by children under 12 years old
First—Southwest YMCA Sioux Nation; second—Southwest YMCA Cherokee Nation

Best decorated car, commercial
First—Los Gatos Brewing Company; second—Yellow Checker Cab

Best decorated other vehicle
First—Spinners Baton Corps; second—Sizzling Seniors

Best antique car or truck built before 1929
First—Peter and Sherry Van Der Veen; second—the Erickson family

Best classic car or truck built after 1929
First—Joe and Leslie Ponte; second—Jim's 304

Best truck, commercial
First—Los Gatos Dog & Cat Hospital; second—Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Best active fire engine
First—Loma Prieta Fire & Rescue; second—Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department DART

Best antique fire engine
First—Guy Thompson; second—Santa Clara County Fire Department

Best junior drill team
First—Oak Grove High School Air Force Junior ROTC

Best senior color guard
First—Santa Clara County Fire Department; second—Knights of Columbus

Best junior color guard
First—Oak Grove High School Air Force Junior ROTC; second—Boy Scout Troop 539

Best junior marching unit
First—Oak Grove High School Air Force Junior ROTC; second—Valley Baton Club

Best mixed marching unit
First—Studio Kicks; second—All-Pro Tae Kwon Do

Best senior baton corps
First—Valley Baton Club; second—Spinners Baton Club

Best junior baton corps
First—Valley Baton Club; second—Spinners Baton Club

Best senior solo baton twirler
First—Valley Baton Club

Best junior solo baton twirler
First—Valley Baton Club

Best 'pee-wee' corps
First—Valley Baton Club; second—Spinners Baton Club

Best junior bagpipe and drum corps
First—Prince Charles Junior Pipe Band

Best senior bagpipe and drum corps
First—Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Pipes and Drums

Best choral group
First—Marshall Lane Elementary School Singers; second—Sacred Heart Catholic School Singers

Best dignitary
First—Los Gatos Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove; second—Los Gatos Town Councilman Mike Wasserman

Best miscellaneous
First—Johnny's Northside Grill; second—Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

Best comedy or novelty
First—Italian Gardeners' Cucuzza Square Drill Team; second—Critters by the Bay

Best high school class-A high school band of over 49 people
First—Saratoga High

Best high school class-B band under 49 people
First—Westmont High; second—Del Mar High

Best high school drum major open
First—Westmont High

Best high school drum major military
First—Del Mar High; second—Saratoga High

Best high school tall flag group
First—Saratoga High; second—Leigh High

Best high school I.D. unit or banner
First—Saratoga High; second—Leigh High

Best intermediate school class-A band over 60 people
First—Dartmouth Middle School; second—Union Middle School

Best intermediate school class-B band under 60 people
First—Redwood Middle School; second—Fisher Middle School

Best intermediate school drum major open
First—Pala Middle School

Best intermediate school drum major military
First—Redwood Middle School; second—Dartmouth Middle School

Best intermediate school solo baton twirler
First—Rolling Hills Middle School; second—Union Middle School

Best intermediate school tall flag group
First—Ida Price Middle School; second—Redwood Middle School

Best intermediate school I.D. unit or banner
First—Dartmouth Middle School; second—Redwood Middle School

Best intermediate school drill team
First—Ida Price Middle School; second—Union Middle School

The California State Horsemen's Association had its own judges at the parade to declare first- through third-place winners among the many equine-themed groups. The Los Gatos Horsemen's Association took top honors in the fancy parade horses category; Ann and Rick Waltonsmith won for best horse-drawn vehicle; Bear Creek Stables won first place in the mounted group category; the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Posse won the sheriff posse category; and the Mount Eden Equestrian Vaulters were tops in the miscellaneous horse group category.