Joy To The World

When I was growing up, about twenty miles north of New York City, our town was rather homogenous in that we were a Norman Rockwell painting of Americana.  Parades for Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day and definitely July 4th.  I always marched in my Brownie uniform, after which I was given a ticket to get a one-scoop ice cream cone from Johnson’s.  This was way before the city’s suburbs expanded, and we became a part of the greater Metropolitan area with its many “ethnic” newcomers.  In other words, even though there were about four Jewish families at our school, no mention of our holidays was ever made.  In fact, our music teacher always ended our classes with a rousing rendition of “Onward Christian Soldiers,” and we never thought anything of it.  Or should I say I didn’t.  I think our parents kept a very low profile.  Can you imagine the fuss that would be made now if any music teacher tried something like that?

Christmas music?  I loved it.  I loved the hymns where I got to sing alto.  Every year the dairy where we got our milk would hand out a free booklet of Christmas carols, which I would pound out on the piano while my siblings gathered around, singing loud and in tune.  And let’s not forget the Christmas pageant, where we all wore purple robes and solemnly marched down the aisle with our battery-operated candles, singing “O Come All Ye Faithful.”  A pantomime of the Nativity story was part of the extravaganza.  Every year we all waited expectantly to find out who would be blessed enough to be chosen to play Mary.

Happy days, some of them.  Of course growing up is never happy all the time.  And then off I went to college, where, if you can believe this, my roommate introduced me to Handel’s “Messiah.”  How had I missed out on the “Messiah?”  Yes, my parents had a lot to answer for!

Now I am old and times have definitely changed.  Everyone is so culturally sensitive.  If you’re mentioning Christmas, you should mention Hanukkah and Kwanza.  Is the New Year the New Year or is it Silvester (St. Sylvester’s Day)?  Let’s not flip the calendar back to Halloween many decades ago where some parents wouldn’t let their children participate because it celebrates the saints.  I know it’s better to be all inclusive as opposed to exclusive.  But I won’t give up my love of Christmas carols and the joy they bring, even though now I could probably qualify as a tenor, should anyone allow me to join in.

So joy to you all.  Let us sing our way into the new year, where a brighter light shines.