Friday, December 14, 2012

The Tradition of Christmas is Dying

Christmas comes only once a year. And certainly, it's the best time of the year for me. The thoughts of decorating the large Christmas tree, preparing the treats and caroling are memories I harbour for an entire year and let out to run amok during this time.

Christmas without tradition, according to me, is like a broken pencil - pointless. The traditions of Christmas are what make the festival so special to me. Traditional decorations like the holly and mistletoe. Baking the traditional Christmas cake and singing traditional carols I feel are the best way to celebrate and bring the yuletide cheer.

I feel although people want to stick to tradition, it is becoming more and more difficult these days. I want to focus on the musical aspect more since caroling is the favourite part of Christmas for me. I love traditional Christmas carols. Songs like Ding Dong Merrily, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Oh Come all Ye Faithful sung by a large choir acconmpanied by a powerful Church Organ is what I would prefer. These days, however, I rarely if not never see such traditions followed. Today it's more of solo performances or remixes of traditional carols to today's music. It's more of popular music and trying to sound catchy.

I am not averse to modern music. But I don't think they make my Christmas special. I would prefer a stiff tenor sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful than maybe Justin Bieber and would certainly prefer King's College Choir to Don Moen. Sticking to tradition gives everyone that feeling of Christmas like no other and I'm afraid that one day it will completely die out.

I hope to keep the tradition alive. In my choir, when we do traditional carols, we try to stick to the way it was originally composed as far as possible. I know a Church Organ is hard to come by these days and even harder to find is a good organist, but if people start working for the sake of spreading the cheer instead of  merely putting up a show, I feel traditions can be resurrected. Have a Merry Christmas season! 

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