Christmas concert
The entrance hall had a strong smell of sweaty snow boots and, once the eye glasses had cleared of frost, one could see the boots scattered along the floor near a rack that was intended to hold them.
Inside one could hear the prattle of a dozen childish conversations.
A young boy in his long-sleeved dress shirt greeted us.
“The Christmas program is in classroom D to your left,” he announced.
We thanked him and moved to classroom D.
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The desks were designed for much shorter legs than ours so we stood at the back along with other parents and grandparents.
The school band huffed its way through “Good King Wenceslaus.” Then the school choir arrived, and the choristers self-consciously scanned the audience for familiar faces.
The grade ones couldn’t restrain themselves from waving but the worldly grade twos and threes were more inclined to ignore the audience and exchange comments with their peers.
“It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old…” the choir sang and the audience applauded.
This ancient carol touches on the real meaning of Christmas.
We adults hear Christmas carols in every store until we hardly notice they are there.
But when our children sing it brings a nostalgic mist to the eyes.
We’re getting a bit self-conscious about religion in schools, as peoples of other faiths join our mix.
But the need for peace and good will remains a vital aspect in the lives of all of us.
So, along with the grades one,two and three, we wish you a Merry Christmas and may the only cane you need be candy.
