Concert Season

I have learned today that Christmas jumpers, especially of the cheap and cheerful* variety are rather too warm to wear in a heated office. How on earth have we got to December 12^th already? I only have three more days of work before Christmas, and rather more than three days’ work to do. (This blog is my lunch hour – I am typing whilst eating an (apparently) seasonal Brie and Grape sandwich.)

Concert season starts tomorrow, with Voxcetera’s Christmas concert in Tufnell Park – details here if you are a) interested and b) reading this within about 24 hours of publication. And my parents are coming down for the weekend. Largely to see me and the kids, but they have timed it to see Vox for the first time. I am sure they won’t be disappointed.

And then starting Monday evening I am into the Albert Hall run of Monday, Thursday, Saturday (twice) and Tuesday (23^rd) with a diversion via Birmingham Symphony Hall on Monday 22^nd. A very different animal from Voxcetera, but if you are going to see any of Jonathan Cohen’s 'Christmas Singalong's, do wave. I won’t have a hope in hell of seeing you, but it’s the thought that counts (in joke - see last blog).

In other news, I did wonder whether I should bother with a Christmas tree this year. But how can you not? There was a period in my life from about say 16 – 25 when I got very turned off by Christmas – the childhood magic had gone and it just seemed like commercialism etc. Having kids of my own rekindled it definitely – there are few better things than watching a three-year-old unwrap Christmas presents. Now they are all past the ‘magic’ stage – my youngest is 14, and although I've never had the difficult dad-son conversation with any of my three (the one about Father Christmas I mean) I don’t *think* he believes any more (and he’s lost all his milk teeth so the Tooth Fairy has passed into history too).

But I still feel that Christmas is something special. Yes, it is too commercial. No, I'm not religious so the Baby Jesus thing isn't a thing for me. But it is still a time when the country pauses and allows the work-life pendulum to swing decidedly too far in the ‘life’ direction for a week. I think that singing in front of 30,000-odd people (some very odd) who are out to enjoy themselves does engender the Christmas spirit. As do the parties and gatherings that happen at this time of the year.

For me it will be a nice mix – plenty of group stuff in the run up, and then some quiet time to recharge over the actual holiday (though I am being catered for on Christmas day). Might do a spot of busking as well I think… And then once the holiday is over I can get to thinking about what next year holds – am I going to carry on with blogging, is there another musical challenge ahead of me, should I write a book (or take to the stage)? [bonus point if you get that reference].

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. For now, Let’s enjoy the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

* i.e. £12 from Primark