#christmasprogram

christmasprogram: a genderprogram gender related to christmas computer programs, being a christmas computer program, being a computer program of christmas, etc.

In Square State the December Weather was beautiful!  We have yet to get accumulating snow in my area. We have had rain, but no snow.  

Why am I talking about the weather?  Context y’all!  I’m gonna talk about the oddest yet coolest Music Program I have ever led/organized...ever.

This year the CathSch had a “Christmas Parking Lot Sing-a-Long” Program. Whaaa?  A Program in the parking lot?  How did everyone fit?!?

The Catholic community in Small Town have a pretty big parking lot for what many would consider a smallish CathChurchSchoolParishHall Campus. The lot was designed for weddings, funerals, social events, community outreach and parking for the school.  

I was on shift at the local grocery store, bored out of my skull in register 3 waiting for customers when I thought of this concept.  I knew we couldn’t be in the HS auditiorium without handing out an allotment of tickets/family, which would make people upset, I knew there were many anti-maskers in the community who would hate the fact that ALL the schools require masks, AND since the program would be in December and I was brainstorming in June, I had NO CLUE what the rules would be regarding live performances 6 months away. 

So in August I brought up the idea to the Principal who stared out her office window at the parking lot for a few minutes and then said: “I love that idea!  Let’s plan on that!” 

Whew....I had managed one hurdle!

Forward on to December...

The principal and I decided where Old Behemoth the upright Piano, a borrowed portable sound system, laptop and yes, annual 5th Grade Nativity Play were all going to be staged and we worked from there. 

Students stayed with their families, the 5th grade families had first priority seating as did last year’s “Preferential Seating at the Christmas Program” Auction Donor winners and EVERYONE was required to space 6 feet apart AND wear Masks.

I spent 6 weeks teaching students the standard Christmas carols that everyone knows.  Some secular mostly sacred though.  I had a couple of cute songs where students stood up and did actions or claps (claps=drums). The event was a true test of my piano skills as I did all the accompanying and chuckle worthy MC’ing.  

The 5th Graders used The ChurcBsmt Music Room as a green room because the costumes are stored down there anyway, I rolled Old Behemoth down the sidewalk, set up a table for the sound system and laptop, ran an extension cord/power strip out one of the Pre-K classroom windows and that was it!

The weather was perfect the week of the Sing-a-Long.  

Until the night of....

A cold front came through...

In Square State a cold front also equals WIND!  LOTS OF WINDY BLUSTERY  WIND! This type of wind cut deep in to your bones straight out of the north so it was a COLD WINDY BLUSTERY TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY WIND! 

So I’m clamping down my music books, taping sheet music to Old Behemoth, using other books to hold books on the Piano, stopping in the middle of my quirky MC-ing to pick up books, teachers are helping by holding books when the gusts start going, I’m playing one handed while shoving a book back on the piano stand....ugh...windy...

People are sitting in lawn chairs under blankets with portable propane heaters. in contrast I was in just a hoodie because I was boiling hot..

....except for my fingers, they went numb....Oh Little Town of Bethlehem was a pretty sad town because my finger kept slipping off the F# during the Nativity Play....

But the reviews.....

I was so worried that I and the principal were gonna get hate.  This poor woman has had to hear EVERY DAMN COMPLAINT from everyone during 2020 and the absolute last thing I wanted was her to get angry emails and calls. I was ready to take all the bullets on this one for her!  I even made sure to acknowledge the changes and thank every for their patience and understanding in the parent letter that went home.  I mean I laid it on as syrupy thick as I could in a one page note home.

Then in the 6 weeks between when the letter went home and the Sing-A -Long itself I was literally awake at night with thoughts like:  “everyonesgonnahateit-itsnotnormal-itsoutside-theywontseetheirkidsperformsotheyregonnanotcome-theyregonnahatethesongs-whathappensifitssnowingandtheshowgetscancled-whathappensifthebackupdatedoesntworkandwecanthaveitatall?!?!” 

However, the Reviews were great!  Everyone seemed to be either fine with, ambiguous to, or loved the odd format!

Thank Goodness! 

I was at a local Mexican Eatery over the holiday break and a family who is famous *cough notorious cough* for being a burr in every educators side both at the CathSch and PSDistrict immediately said: “We loved your Christmas Pageant!” 

Thank Goodness! 

They paid for my meal too...

Post program clean up was a breeze!  I didn’t have to haul a truck load of props and costumes from the HS Auditorium BACK to the School and then spend the next week sorting, cleaning, and storing. Everything went back into the school or church basement within 30 minutes! A bunch of parents jumped up to be very helpful!  I love helpful Dads! Heave Ho and all the heavy stuff is put away!

Parents had decorated the windows and entryway with lights and cut outs!  it looked really neat! 

It was done and over quick...within an hour!