What's Christmas Without Carols?

Well, it's not Christmas at all - is it?

At least most, if not all of my readers will agree, I hope.

Last night we had our local "Combined Churches Christmas Carols" at the local school hall. It was quite a success, with more than 150 people attending. I know that because we had 150 (battery operated) candles to give out and ran out just before things got under way. These 'candles were left over from last year's Christmas Carols Night, that was supposed to be held in the open air in the Baptist church grounds, but a storm came right on starting time and we had to quickly move everything (including the people who stayed) into the church and have it there. Everyone was in good spirits, but the rain (storm) did put a damper the whole night - and consequently we had heaps of left over 'candles' that we had hoped to sell and make a small profit for the Scripture in Schools programme. So instead of selling the left over 'candles', last night, we gave them away and asked for donations which was then given to the same programme - I didn't count it, but "she who must be obeyed" thought it was over $100. Date 16/12/08 (Actually came in at $181.50)

Each church had a part to play -

The Catholics did a 'something' at the beginning with candles and lots of words that not very many people listened to, because the sound system wasn't working too well, but they soldiered on (even when the candles wouldn't light when they were supposed to) and finished with a swinging calypso carol and everyone finally got the beat.

A young Christian Pop band with dancers then did a number about Mary and baby Jesus - have no idea where they came from (they all left as soon as they finished their number). Maybe they were from the Uniting Church (they weren't on the programme sheet, so must have been a late entry).

The Anglicans did a short play (two actors) an angel and a shepherd - it was a farce about a new, timid, scared angel coming to bring glad tidings to an arrogant, unimpressed shepherd that was more afraid of the noisy angel scaring his sheep than being sore afraid of the angels. But it ended well with the "Hallelujah Chorus" scaring off the sheep.

The Bapos did a puppet show, which went over very well, especially with the kids, about the word Christmas & Xmas and why Christ shouldn't be left out of Christmas. Two of our deacon(esses) did that and excelled themselves. That Puppetry Course they went to several months ago was worth the money.

In between all of these activities we had - you guessed it - Christmas Carols, of course - isn't that why we were there? But the 'piece de resistance' was the Combined Churches Choir - we (yes, I was in the choir) had been practising, at the Reformed Church, for the last couple of months every Sunday afternoon for about an hour at a time. We sang, acappella, harmonising in four parts, five carols and as I said, we were the show stoppers of the night. Okay, okay maybe I am a little bit biased, so all together it went off very well with a magnificent supper to follow.

If you look carefully at the photo at the top of this pontification (it was supposed to go above these words, but somehow ended up at the top) you will see an old guy, with long grey hair, in the middle of the back row - guess who?

PS The RSL decided to have their Carol's Night last night too!! Wouldn't you believe it, and they had Fireworks at the end of theirs, as well as the local school choir participating (whose school hall we were using), so for us to get over 150 people in competition to what they offered, I think we did pretty well - don't you?