KALEIDOSCOPE

Since I come from a musical extended family, music was an important part of Christmas.  Everyone sings and most can play at least one instrument.

Christmas music began for choirs and orchestras as early as September.  I sang with the school choir and in the church choir, and I also played in the orchestra.  Many of the kids at church played instruments and we would play, at the very least, for at least one service during advent.

My favorite memory of Christmas music occurred on the Christmas Eve carol service.  All the choirs at church sang in our historic cathedral church.  For the last song, all the choirs stood in the balcony with a battery operated candle.  There were so many of us we had to stager our shoulders.  The song?  “A Thousand Christmas Candles Light” - an old Swedish song.