Monday 13 November 2006

Tradition has the upper hand.

Tonight, there was a meeting to plan this year's Christmas carol service. This is always held at 6pm on Christmas Eve, by which time, if you haven't bought something it's too late, and you should be starting to relax as everything has been done*. However, for the last few years, and I suspect it is since Meetings have been held to plan them, they have been getting increasingly tricksy. With themes and playlets and things. A couple of years ago, I said that all people really want is to hear the Christmas story, listen to a gently uplifting talk and sing the carols they have known all their lives. But I was ignored, except that they agreed to have carols sung by everyone instead of only a choir.

This year, only four of us turned up. And two of them wanted to go down the simple route. So we are.

Not that I said much. I have no bent for this sort of thing really. I chipped in mainly to check on practical matters. I may well have got out of playing the organ - not that I mind doing that, the only thing to remember is to play a bit slower than usual as it takes longer for sound to go all round a full church (when someone is trying hard to be polite about my organ playing, the most truthful thing to say is that I don't hang about. Slow hymns are real dirges and most depressing, so I brisk them up a bit) and to hold the first note for them all to join in. Anyway, someone else certainly will play some of the carols. I have offered to accompany carol singers greeting people as they arrive, by playing the clarinet outside the church before the service .... or, if wet, I've claimed a spot in the porch.

Anyway, this has all been arranged and some people will not be happy, as they are deprived of their bits of drama. But, as I said to my traditionally-minded friend, they should have come along to the meeting then, shouldn't they.

*in my case, everything has been done** except the present wrapping, the cake icing and some of the cards delivering.

**Meaning, will have been done by then. I have not started yet. Obviously. It's not half way through November yet.

14 comments:

y.Wendy.y said...

Oh you are so organised. I am impressed. Have you roasted the turkey yet? Done the bread sauce? No? thought not...ha! Still plenty to do my girl - no resting on your laurels!

I'd love to be in church when you are skipping through a somber hymn...I can just see you pounding away on your keys, head bopping briskly, feet tap tap tapping and everyone desperately trying to keep up with that mad mad organist. They probably go home thoroughly confused and out of sorts and in dire need of a glass of wine.

:O)

Z said...

Hey, Missy Sarcastic, I meant by 6pm on Christmas Eve. I don't prepare ahead, where's the 'fun' in that? Usually, the Amazon delivery vans are queueing up at my gateway all through the week before Christmas.

The description of my organ playing is spot on, however. Afterwards, we give them very nice coffee and then they are welcome to come with me to the pub.

Identikit said...

Gosh, that was a shock to the system hearing about Christmas. I avoid supermarkets so I don't have to face up to the inevitable but I thought that on blogger I was safe!

Loved the organ playing description. I love to listen to the organ. I often go into the cathedral just to hear it.

You are a musical genius as well as all your other talents.

Sorry I never got to comment on Miss Hopper. I did wonder if she had a secret thing about the name Poppy because it was perhaps her own name - can you imagine "Poppy Hopper". Actually her name was probably "Space" wasn't it?

Now I am being very silly so I will go.

Z said...

Sorry Tess, that was really thoughtless of me. I will shy away from the subject for the next few weeks, until I start complaining about not having done Anything and there are only a few days to go.

Actually, preparations start early in one respect as my evenings will soon be spent making holly wreaths for my son's shop. I do not enjoy it.

I am a dreadful organ player, be as sarcastic as you like.

I did know someone called J@yne Dr@yne. And someone called D0r0thy (Dot) St0tt. The first married into the name, but the second was, inexplicably, named that at birth.

Pat said...

Thank God for that! I can live with the fact you play the organ and the clarinet and goodness knows what else but to have done all the Christmas palaver by now would be more than I could stomach. And I'm sure you need the patience of a saint when trying to get things done and have women - and men - just wittering.
I remember my days on committees and ETWG! Now I am a recluse!

Anonymous said...

Actually Ms. Hopper's first name was probably Hippity.

y.Wendy.y said...

Actually I think you ARE a musical genius - crikey how many instruments do you play?

And will you wear a nice red Santa hat trimmed in white fur for the clarinet welcoming bit?

Tess is a bit spacey today because she had a nasty car crash on Saturday and is on whoozy painkillers...but she's ok - thankfully.

We love you Tessie Poo - get better soon.:O)

Z said...

Pat, my ambition is to be a recluse. Any tips gratefully received.

Anon, a friend's first grandchild was born yesterday, her name is Holly Midwinter. I thought this was a fabulous name and am now on the lookout for an unhitched bloke called Midwinter so that I can ask him to marry me (my husband is a reasonable man and would Understand). However, Hippity Hopper comes a close second.

Wendz, maybe I will, maybe I will.

May I point out, again, that it is playing WELL that makes you a musician, not just playing most of the notes and some of them in the right order, even if it is with feeling, dahling.

Poor darling Tess, I will go and send her a big kiss.

Identikit said...

haha Wendy - I think I am always spaced out like this!! Tessie Poo indeed.

I used to have a member of my staff called Margaret Ann Durrant but she did marry into Durrant. She wasn't either.

Oooooh a big kiss - now that sounds nice!!

xx

Z said...

Oh, Tess, you made me jump. You've been sitting there waiting for me.

So sorry about your accident angel, I hope you aren't feeling too awful.

Big kiss *here*

And *here*

Anonymous said...

I used to know a Major Anus as a child (Army brat) He had 4 kids. They used to say of him, "Here comes Major Anus and his four little arseholes". Sorry to vulgar up the post. I enjoy your writing.

Z said...

Wow! Oh. My. God. I somehow feel that no one will be able to top (or do I mean bottom?) that.

And thank you for the compliment.

The Boy said...

I would vote soundly beside you for a quick recital of the story, a bit of uplifting and lots and lots of old favorite carols.

Our organist is a lovely man, truely talented, but he thinks its his job to uplift us with rare resounding music we haven't heard before.

Z said...

One doesn't want to curb enthusiasm, let alone undermine talent, but you need to do what is right for the occasion and the audience.

Er, congregation.