As the week sets in to celebrate Christmas the mind travels back few years to the good old school days. Being in a convent school introduced us to a wonderful phenomenon called Christmas and the celebrations that precede and follow it.
Christmas to us in school meant:
- Learning about Jesus’s history and the miracle of his birth
- Enacting the Christmas plays year after year; with the same vigor and enthusiasm. Some girls dressed as shepards, some as the three Kings, some as the angels, someone as the Little Drummer boy, and some as the central characters Joseph & Mary.
- Party,loads of fun and dancing
- Chocolate cakes and ice-creams
- Santa Claus distributing sweets during the party
- Fun-fair at school before the vacation began
A time to be jolly indeed!
But the most vivid memory that stays along is that of rehearsing Christmas Carols every day after we were back to School from Diwali vacation; in preparation for the big Christmas party. That was the only time of the year we girls looked forward to our assembly session. It lasted an hour and we were more than happy to sing those lovely carols and also miss school studies for half-hour;-)
Most carols celebrated Christ’s birth told stories about him.
- About Jesus’s birth:
These three remain my all-time favourites, for their tune and the soft background music. Also for the harrowing time we gave our teacher while learning to get the pitch of the Silent Night song right.
- How he was born in manger: Away in a Manger
- How he was visited by the three kings: We three Kings of Orient Are
- How mankind celebrated God’s arrival.
- The Drummer Boy I loved the Pa-ra-ra-pum-pum, ra-pum-pum part. Different groups sang it in different pitches and the result was fantastic
The carols also taught us small but important lessons about life. Remember Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer . In the most simplistic manner it told us that there is one talent in us that the others don’t have; once we discover it we will find our own little place in the sun. Every person on this earth has that special something; it’s only a matter of time before we discover it.
They also told you to be kind and helpful to the poor and needy: Good King Wenceslas
They really made Santa Claus come alive. As little girls we believed it all, the tooth-fairy, the Angels, and Santa Claus. The little fat man with his red dress and long beard brought a smile on our faces by the mere mention of his name. Sigh! I wish he was true :-)
It was also during this time of the year that we girls were the most-well behaved at school, you know what one carol said about Santa, it’s my favourite.
'You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why,
Santa Claus is coming to town'
The rest here.
Jingle Bells, the most well-known and the ultimate favourite of all kids; tell me one kid who does not know it, you will not find one! Trust me.
And as always after the end of our carol singing it was time to bid adieu to the old year and ring in the new with two wonderful carols:
As I switched onto FM today all those lovely carols came back. They are still fresh in the memory and not a word forgotten. Every year after passing out of school I make it a point to tune into the radio during this time of the year as they play all the carols till Christmas time is over.
So since it’s that time of the year again and I can’t be at school, I have listed some of my favourite Christmas carols and yes, you are more than welcome to add in yours.
Christmas was a doubly special event for me, with Mumma celebrating her B-day on 25th Dec. This year makes it four times special. To add to the previous celebrations, two of my closest friends will tie the knot this year on Christmas Day. They could not have picked a more appropriate moment :-)
After all, tis the season to be jolly, and have fun and celebrate! Celebrate love and celebrate life!
8 comments:
hi, just a thank you note for adding me to your blogroll !
:-)
Gautam
Thanks for refreshing the sweet memories of carol singing
I miss school during cristmas and our colony during Ganpati and Navratri festival
Just curious - which school did you go to?
I remember those things (though not at that scale) at St. Joseph's at Wadala. We had a lot of 'Catholic' friends who used to take care of the crib and the carols and we used to simply put up the ribbons and enjoy the 'colored clothes' day! :-)
@Gautam: Actually chanced upon your blog quite late and hence felt, better late than never:-)
@Sheetal: School will always be missed Didi, but Ganapti & Navratri isn't the same anymore in colony:-(
@rpm:Went to St. Columba Girls School in Gamdevi, Mumbai. It is one of the oldest all girls school in Mumbai. It was no doubt the best time of our lives:-)Yes and as for coloured clothes, that was the added excitement when we got to wear nice stuff and not uniforms;-)
Check out all that convent education coming out from all over!!! Ye big people, singing all of them carols etc! Oh well!
And btw, who all are getting married on 25th?? I know one friend of ours from VJTI who is alos tying the knot that day.
@Mangi: Wasn't Don Bosco convent as well? My school friends , who are you talking about?
Me too, went to a convent school in a really small town and your post evokes those fun Christmas days so very well.
@Mridula: The good old school days and such fond memories right:-) Glad the post brought some good memories back:-)
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