Advent - day six

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, six singing souls, five Yulenissers, four Christmas stockings, three special wishes, 2 roller skates, and one very large sea kelp.

The Messiah has long been part of the Terrill family Christmas tradition. The first time I ever attended a performance was on our first wedding anniversary - December 22, 1968. The Salt Lake Oratorio Society gave an annual performance, free of charge, in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Our good friends Kay and Steve were going and invited us along.

We continued to go each year while we lived in Utah. At some point we started taking Bonny and Harry with us. When we moved to California in 1979, we discovered the Messiah Sing Along at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - and a new tradition was born.

The first time Dad and I went alone. Coming out after wards, the patrons heading down the stairs began singing carols - and another tradition was born. In the ensuing years, we began inviting others to join us, gathered for a meal beforehand, and occasionally attended the Sing Along Messiah at the Foothill Building. One year Harry invited Dawn along - this was before they were engaged - and she made eclairs that we ate afterward while seated by the lighted fountains

Like lots of things we do and enjoy, the Sing Along got more expensive to attend, eating beforehand became logistically more difficult to do, and the powers that be change the dates in what appears to be a random manner.

But we keep going and we keep enjoying it. I remember that first year thinking that the program would never end. Now I always feel like it ends too soon.

Hallelujah!!