A Top 10 list of places to propose marriage might include a tropical beach, a mountain top or maybe a fancy restaurant. Chances are that most guys wouldn't think about popping the big question at a freezing, nighttime parade in December.

But Rick Enslinger realized that Denver's Parade of Lights was the only place he'd propose to his longtime girlfriend, Lisa, now his wife.

"She's just nuts about Christmas," Rick said.

Lisa Enslinger gets bubbly just talking about the season.

"I love Christmas because you can be a kid again," she said. "I love the lights, the trees, the gifts and the parade. It's the one time when people really have the holiday spirit."

The couple's first solo, not-with-friends date five years ago was to the Parade of Lights. She had watched the event on TV every year with her family but was envious of those in attendance.

"I could never get my brothers to go and stand in the cold," she said.

Rick's willingness to go despite the fact that he's "more of a summer person," really impressed her.

"We had talked about getting married - but not too seriously," he said. "But then we looked at rings. The idea of proposing at the Parade of Lights just came to me," Rick noted, and he was willing to wait a year to do it.

How to pull it off was another question entirely. He found willing co-conspirators last year at the Downtown Denver Partnership, which organizes the parade each year.

Together they concocted logistics and an elaborate ruse to make sure Lisa was surprised, pulling in parade broadcaster 9News in the process.

"The plan was to tell Lisa that Channel 9 wanted to do an on-the-street interview with us because we were volunteers every year," Rick said. That's why, he told Lisa, they had seats in the grandstand.

"I was a little suspicious but not much," she said.

So, during the 2007 Parade of Lights, 9News reporter Greg Moss pulled them out of the crowd for their "interview."

"He asked me, 'What makes the Parade of Lights special to you?' I said it was Lisa and did the whole one-knee thing and got the ring out. I asked her if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me," Rick said.

Lisa admitted that a little part of her wanted to say "finally!" Instead, she said, "Of course."

As they kissed on live TV, Moss announced: "She said 'Yes.' "

A pedicab was ready with a sign on the back that also read "She said 'Yes!' " and suddenly the Colorado natives were part of the parade and its history.

"It was great. It was freezing, but I didn't put my glove on. I wanted to show off the ring," Lisa said.

The pedicab dropped the couple off at the Brown Palace Hotel, where Rick had prepared by scattering their room with rose petals. He had clothes ready so they could dine in style that night at the Palace Arms Restaurant.

This summer, Lisa and Rick were married and now make their home in Bennett. Lisa, 26, recently finished her master's degree in forensic psychology. Rick, 27, continues to work at a body shop prepping cars for painting.

This weekend, the couple will celebrate their engagement anniversary at the Parade of Lights.

"I think winter is the most romantic time of the year. Just sitting watching the snow fall while you're drinking hot cocoa together," Lisa sighed.

Funding slow but steady

All the bad news about bailouts, rescue plans, layoffs and foreclosures won't stop, dim or deflate this year's Parade of Lights. Still, that doesn't mean there weren't some anxious moments.

In October, for the first time ever, parade organizers made a public plea for financial help, a fact that resulted in the event's woes being reported in The Wall Street Journal and on National Public Radio.

"The economic situation has clearly impacted our ability to raise larger sponsorship donations," said Susan Rogers Kark, vice president of the Downtown Denver Partnership, which produces the parade.

"But we started getting a lot more small donations."

After being $70,000 to $80,000 short in October and facing the prospect of laying off elves, corporate sponsors came through as well as individuals.

"After we put the word out, we have had donations from $5 to $5,000," Kark said.

As of Nov. 19, Kark said, the nonprofit organization was seeking just $25,000 in funds.

In the meantime, she noted, the organizers of a free event attended by 350,000 people have had to "look for ways to cut expenses."

Some parade suppliers also came forward and reduced their prices.

Even the price of helium is up because of a shortage, Kark said, which is important when you are buying 30,000 cubic feet for large balloons.

"Some other parades have talked about not fully inflating their balloons, but we will have our balloons full," she said.

"People will absolutely not see any difference in this year's parade. It will be the same quality as in the past."

34th Annual 9News Parade of Lights

* When and where: 8 p.m. today, 6 p.m. Saturday; Starts at the City & County Building and finishes 2-mile route at 14th Street and Glenarm Place

* Cost: Free; $16 grandstand seating ($12 for 12 and younger); at King Soopers and City Market; TicketsWest: ticketswest.rdln.com; 866-464-2626

* Information: denverparadeoflights.com

* Parade broadcast: 8 p.m. today: Live, 9NEWS; 6 p.m. Dec. 13: rebroadcast, 9NEWS; 6 p.m. Dec. 14: rebroadcast, My20 (Comcast Channel 3); 10:35 p.m. Dec. 24: rebroadcast, 9NEWS

The cost of Christmas

Some Parade of Lights expenses (for two nights):

* $10,000 - hand warmers, hot chocolate, hoodies, flashlights and radios for more than 500 volunteers

* $20,000 - rentals, generators, lighting carts, helium and supervisory services for four or five giant balloons

* $18,000 - costumes, face painters and a building for checking in volunteers

* $10,000 - lights, batteries and generators

* $12,000 - marching band honorariums, awards and reimbursement for lighting instruments

* $20,000 - police, private security, and street closings

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