Is there any magic left in Christmas? We are all so jaded with this modern cynical life that we pretend to be above the enchantment of special things but this is a little tale, of a special space, in life for just that.
The village hall, glittering like any other such hall at Christmas, was decked for a party. The ladies, also beautifully decked, plus some guests, arrived in little groups to the warmth and welcome and were wrapped in the delight of chatter, laughter and fun in a closed world where for a few hours only the celebration mattered.
Where else, except with people who have over the years become part of your own world, even if only seen for a few hours a month, can pass the parcel be so hilarious? How to play bingo standing up, is no longer a mystery but caused a great deal of amusement, especially when the two who tied as winners proved to have identical bingo cards and had to draw lots for the prize. Then we ate, the food provided by the committee members who, as usual, produced a delicious buffet, pretty table decorations, crackers and drinks. Then we had to pay for our supper! We had to find names of birds from a script, a letter in this case. Easy, you say, well to those with keener minds it would appear to be so, but for most we struggled. Who in the world has time to sit down to devise a deviously cunning, mind-trapping puzzle where one has to scan a script? Which bird is in "Reaching Ullswater at midnight?” Actually everyone was really engrossed in the puzzle and wanted to go on for longer, silence descended and that takes a lot of doing at a meeting of the Guild.
After supper came the singing, where we sang to the piano played by David, the organist of Barton Church, who was in his other guise as jovial entertainer. The first selection of music was show time where we were able to stretch our vocal chords in preparation for the star of the evening, who other than Santa…but what a Santa Claus. We had the real, genuine British Santa, the bronze medal holder, gold last year but we British know how to share and will be back, so we were assured. The oldest and the youngest lady sat on Santa's lap, in turns I must quickly add or he would have complained, and were allowed to select a gift from his sack. What a memory to cherish! David, our pianist, was allowed a similar treat, David playing along to the delight of the partygoers. We were all given our presents, allowed to Ring Santa's Bell and giggle as he made his regal way around the hall. As he left, a little of the Christmas magic must have settled on the hall because the singing was more beautiful, another memory created for the archives!
We sang on with old favourites from wartimes and then got to carol our way through the familiar and loved music which can take us back to other churches and other days, old friends, loved ones and so to the real essence of the season, that we are able to celebrate the birth of one child who brought the real magic of Christmas.
