‘Tis the season to be merry…

One of the many things I have always loved about the festive season is the carols that come with it.  I have no doubt many people would want me publicly burnt at the stake for having this adoration, but I am prepared to take my chances.

I have spent my life loving singing, in fact, as a child, an obsession with Olivia Newton-John led to many a home concert, where a teaspoon was my microphone, and my outfit was 100% lycra.  When I got to junior school, all pupils were in the choir, regardless of talent, and not realizing as yet that I was not gifted in this department, I definitely still fancied myself as quite the singer, and felt sure that my future lay in the music world. 

Sadly reality dawned when I got to high school, and was thrown out in round number one of the choir auditions, never to return again.  The most upsetting part about this was not that I had not been allowed to be part of the choir, but now, I had to find another talent I thought I had… needless to say, twenty six years later, I am still searching for that answer!

But I digress.

It is Carols by Candlelight next week and I am already counting the sleeps.  I have started practicing my lines and remembering the lyrics… one would almost think I was part of the performance, when in fact, I am a mere mortal dragging my mother and daughter to something I want to attend.

What I love though about these events is not only the singing, which is obviously a huge part of it; but I love that these functions see families gathering together; I love that the audience and the performers are there because they want to celebrate a special time of year; I love that you see raging joy in children’s faces, and what I suspect I will love most this year, is that there will be a collective sigh of relief that we have all somehow made it through the past twelve months, and we still have much to look forward to.

Of course, the fact that we can take our own picnics, and wine  - well, that is just the angel on the top of the Christmas Carol Tree for me!

And so the moral:  It is the season, it is time to be merry, and it is time to celebrate.  It is time to have fun, it is time to see joy in our children’s eyes, it is time to sing, and quite possibly, it is time for the return of the teaspoon, and the lycra cat suit!