One of the uncle's taking a break...he walked all the way with us
At the old folks home with the man that got me started on leading the caroling 1983
The group I led back then...no costumes...just candles and kids...before I donned the Santa suit
At the same home 26 years later...with one of my carollers...he made me smile when he called me the original...Santa that is...Ho Ho Ho
The carollers at my home last night
In the spirit of Christmas this year I decided to let my little girl go caroling. Be managed to make it for one practice session only but that was okay. My daughter knew most of the songs. Being a Christmas fan...I listen to carols months ahead and have a wide collection of Christmas CDs...although there is one Johnny Mathis CD stuck...I mean literally in my cars CD player Ho Ho Ho
I must say that things have changed a lot since the last time I went caroling. back then we did everything old school...I mean we had no guitarist so it was bells and tamborines. I guess for those who continued witht the tradition may have wanted to try something new this year and maybe inject some life into the songs. For me and my good buddy whom I convinced to join us though we were was just happy the way things used to be.
The groups previous leader proudly allowed his teenage daughter to conduct and lead. She did have the energy and some know how to her credit but she wanted to make most songs NEW and bring her schoolgirl style to the carols....a cross between a high school musical wannabe and Hannah Montana meets Christmas. Anyway to cut along story short, I was a little disappointed with the whole business but I can't complain because I didn't step up now did I...not that I am the greatest singer but I know how to preserve traditions. Enuf said I guess but the rest of the carollers were a diverse group and families in the area usually joined in the caroling too.
Overall it was fun to visit homes like I used to 25 years ago with my merry bunch of carolers. I saw so many familiar faces and it brought back memories. On the second day of carolling we visited the person who had asked me to lead the carollers back then. He was in an old folks home as he was confined to a wheelchair and had difficulty speaking. I was really taken aback as I have not seen him in ages. Memories came flooding back as his wife and my mother used to be the best of friends. My mother is now gone and his wife had just undergone surgery and could not take care of herself too. I was really teary-eyed and choked with emotion...it was sad.
As we went to more houses we used to visit on our caroling rounds I saw that more and more people had passed on. Many people were still alive though and the young ones were all grown up with families of their own. It made going caroling a lot more special to me at least. For my daughter...she didn't sing much since she is such a quiet person among strangers and even after three hard days of singing it was not enough to bring a peep out of her. It was okay...she's only four and it was her first time besides I know she can sing...so next year I hope she'll be ready Ho ho ho
