The Christmas Concert
by
Eileen Krahn
It was always held on Christmas Eve the most exciting night of the year. A huge Christmas tree stood on the church stage. It was decorated with silver icicles, red crepe paper garlands and various homemade angels. The star on top was gold and shiny.
The church itself was an unpretentious wooden structure. Four long rectangular windows on each side let in winter's slanted light. The interior was plain with three rows of hard, uncushioned pews and the stage in the front was up three steps from the main floor. A tall unadorned wooden altar stood in the center of the stage. An old upright piano and five rows of risers were in place for the church choir. There was a full basement beneath the church in which a bare-bones kitchen with several long wooden tables and hard backless benches were stored, ever ready to accommodate Sunday School children, wedding guests or the traditional after-funeral lunch.
Every Sunday School class after the middle of November was devoted to practising for the "concert." The old carols were rehearsed and even an occasional new song like "Mary's Boychild" was practised again and again. The Sunday School teachers praised and encouraged our efforts.
When Christmas Eve finally arrived, the excitement and anticipation of the children warmed the cold dark night. If you had something new to wear you wore it to the Concert. I had a turquoise dress with a pleated skirt and long sleeves. It had been ordered weeks in advance from Eaton's catalogue.
At 7:00 p.m. the concert began. The church pianist struck the C Major chord with great energy and the entire congregation sang 'Joy to the World' with feeling and vigor. After 'O Come All Ye Faithful' and 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing,' it was the children's choir's turn. 'Away in a Manger' floated through the air and our clear young voices soared!
We looked down on the familiar faces of the congregation family members, friends, neighbours, and even a few strangers all gathered together for the Christmas Concert.
The highlight of the entire night was the "treat bag" that was given out at the end of the program. All the children, whether on stage or in the audience, received a bag which contained a Christmas orange, a generous amount of candy (soft, chewy lemon and orange slices with a sugary coating, bell-shaped chocolate drops filled with white vanilla icing, red and white striped hard peppermint candy), peanuts in the shell and a few Brazil and hazel nuts. The Christmassy smell of these bags was matchless! The treats were devoured on the spot or hoarded for later.
As Mother and I trudged home that dark December night, my nine-year-old heart felt safe and happy.
This concert took place in 1949 and the church has long since been replaced by a large impressive building with modern stage equipment and great acoustics! The children who participated in that long-ago event are approaching old age and nothing remains of that innocent simple time except the carols they are timeless!