The Christmas season is always a blur at our house, but Christmas day is a quiet and pleasant time with family. For the thirty-three years I taught vocal music, many weeks were spent preparing a huge Christmas Celebration Concert for the community. I never had a single complaint that we shouldn't be doing Christmas in the public schools... actually quite the opposite. If I included too many classical pieces that weren't specifically tied to Christmas, I would get phone calls!
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| Our Christmas Cactus is over 100 years old |
I've now been retired six years but am still active in church music and it's always a blessing to lead the beloved carols of Christmas. In addition to our church commitments, this year Sarah and I were part of a 150 voice choir that performed Handel's Messiah with full orchestra... this is music that never grows old.
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| Some years I like to use lots of poinsettias |
My wife also accompanies and I coach/direct a local family with twelve remarkably talented children who do Christmas concerts for charities attended each year by three to four thousand people. This year we did three two hour performances in two days, but were in rehearsal since the beginning of October. In addition to Mom and Dad, the children are ages two through twenty, the oldest is married and they have a six month old, and the second oldest is engaged and her fiance joined the troupe this year. Our opening number and closing number include the entire group and it is heart warming to see this family learning to share so much of themselves and their faith with so many people. It has become a big part of my Christmas and I feel almost as if I were a part of 'The Sound of Music" working with these very gifted youngsters!
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| Our tree is never in the same place two years in a row... |
In addition to the three concerts this past weekend and some involvement in our church service, I helped Sarah host her Christmas piano recital with her thirty piano students. As you can tell, music is a big part of our Christmas.
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| ... nor is it decorated in the same way |
We have a new Christmas Eve 'tradition' the past few years, as on that night, we attend a very small country church where my wife is guest keyboardist and this is followed by time spent with extended family at one of their homes. The part that I find neat about this is that this little church is where my wife's grandfather was actually pastor eighty years or more ago. Sarah was the organist here when she was a youngster in grade school.
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| Some years I like to create my own garlands for the stair rail |
Christmas day will be spent quietly with family in a very tradition meal of goose and perhaps ham or lamb, marvelous dishes with wild rice and others, my favorite sauerkraut stuffing, plus all the fixings and side dishes that always accompany each year. The traditional desert is baked Alaska, and I do look forward to that.
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| Some of my favorite ornaments are homemade by friends now passed on... like Grandma in this picture... |
The day after Christmas is a Sunday this year and I will be soloing with the song "Bethlehem Morning" at church and our youngest son and wife will come for dinner and spend the afternoon. If the weather holds, we hope to see our young grandchildren, older son and his wife later in the week.
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| This year's tree |
My only regret is that in forty years, I've only been able to be with my side of the family one time at Christmas. However, it is indeed wonderful to be "home for the holidays!" We hope your holidays are full of joy and the true meaning of this special season.
Merry Christmas, Larry and Sarah
Merry Christmas, Larry and Sarah
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