Last week was my children’s Christmas concert at school. I absolutely adore watching children sing. It is hands down one of my favorite things in the world.
I have been going to the same school for years now to watch this event. It started when my nieces went to school there and I would go to watch them sing. Two years ago I got to go watch my daughter Iris’s first performance and this year began the tradition with my son, Bency.
I have come to anticipate the hilarity and sweetness of this event.
My daughter’s performance was at 8:30 in the morning. Two hundred 2nd and 3rd graders filled the risers. 400 family members filled the bleachers. The children sang their hearts out, played their instruments and tried their best to get their hand motions in sync. Iris was picked to do the polka this year and her heel kicking had me in stitches! My family and I were high in the bleachers. My 2 year old son sat on my husband’s lap enjoying every minute.
My son Bency’s performance was at 1:30 in the afternoon. Two hundred Kindergarten and 1st graders filled the risers. 400 family members filled the bleachers. The children sang their hearts out. My family was on the very bottom bleacher. My 2 year old son was antsy. He didn’t want to sit and enjoy this performance. He wanted to run free. We tried to contain him but he kicked and whined. In an attempt to not have the gymnasium filled with screams we let him go. He stayed near us for the most part, doing spins and twirls, minding his own business.
I kept my eyes on Bency who decided to make up his own hand motions to the songs and put a twirl in here and there when the spirit moved him.
A group of 1st graders gathered on the gymnasium floor to sing a special song and play the xylophones. Cesar stopped twirling momentarily. He gazed at the performers. Something struck a chord in him because out of nowhere he ran over to one of the 1st grade girls and gave her a hug mid dong on her xylophone.
I immediately ran to retrieve him and felt hot, redness fill my face knowing the whole gymnasium of people just watched me scrape my 2 year old from the embraces of one of the performers.
As I sat there trying to recover from my embarrassment, my son Bency and his class made their way to the gymnasium floor to perform a special song with the accompaniment of bells. The music teacher began playing the piano and cued the kids to begin singing. All the kids began caroling except for Bency who stood up and began walking around and searching wildly for something. Bency lost his jingle bells.
The music teacher noticed, stopped playing the piano and announced, “I have never stopped during a concert before but this is really important.” She then proceeded to find another bell and go give it to Bency.
More redness filled my face thinking about the fact that my child was the first to ever cause a concert to be stopped before.
This was my favorite Christmas concert I have ever attended. This concert took place on December 14, 2012. This was the same day that 20 elementary children were killed in Newtown, CT. I learned a little bit about this right before I left for my daughter’s concert. I learned a little more throughout that day. Today, I know a lot.
I know that I am very blessed I got to see my children sing.
I am blessed that I got to see my 2 year old give someone a random hug for no reason.
I am blessed that Iris kicked up her heels to the polka and that Bency got to jingle his bell.
I am not embarrassed anymore.
I love the random hug. We should all do more of those. Happy Christmas to you and your beautiful family.
Oh yes, if only we all could be like 2 year olds and not feel weird about giving or receiving the random hug!!! Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!! Melissa
This made me cry and laugh. This is super beautiful, Melissa!
thank you!
No embarrassment! What joy. I love hearing my kids sing, too. Little A has learned quite a few Christmas carols from her brother and between the two of them I’m beaming! Have a Christmas full of more hugs, singing, and dancing!! –Alison
Thanks Alison! I’m wishing you and your family a brilliant Christmas as well! Nothing beats the sound of kids singing!!! Melissa
Random hugging = lovely 🙂 And how cute are your kids? Very sweet family x
Thank you! I hope you and your family are having a great weekend!
What a beautiful family! Bency is looking like a professional, outfit and all. Iris, little Ms Lady herself, is sooooo beautifully dressed. Cesar is doing the right thing, and that is to enjoy and have fun. Thanks for sharing this post. Always, Mtetar
Thank you Mtetar! The kids sure did have fun that day and that truly is what it is all about. I was very shy to have to walk in front of that many people to get Cesar but looking back on it now it really wasn’t that big of a deal! Have a great weekend! Melissa
You’re always most welcome. Mtetar
So sweet! Kids have so much love to share. 🙂 My girls’ preschool class has about 20 kids in it, so seeing/hearing them all sing in their holiday show this past week following the Newtown tragedy made it that much more special and a bit bittersweet.
That age group had to be especially cute! I am always in awe when the music teachers can pull off such great programs with such little ones! And this year they all had to be very special and yes, like you said, bittersweet.
These types of events really are nice – certain sweetness and innocence. Memorable.
Yes, I love them, their innocence truly rings through in their sweet voices!
your kids are adorable! 🙂 Cesar is funny! 🙂 Enjoy the Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family if we don’t talk before the 25th xxx
Thank you! Cesar definitely adds some spice and unpredictability to our lives! Merry Christmas to you and your family! I hope it’s wonderful!
he’s too cute 🙂 btw, I was going to nominate you for the lovely awards I was nominated for but our blogger-friend @littlepoppits already did! read it on her blog! 🙂 congratulations, well deserved! wish you a Happy Christmas and many virtual hugs xxx
GORGEOUS Mel – Sqisshy Hugs anyone? Yes you are blessed . A Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family. xx 🙂
Thank you! A hug to you and also a Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
Beautiful post! Your children are precious and fun. No need to be embarrassed!
Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family! I’m so happy I’ve gotten to “meet” you all this year!!
thank you! It’s been so great meeting you and your family as well! I’m wishing you all a very happy Christmas together!
What a wonderful post. December 14 has also made me pause and remember what is important and what is not worth fretting over. I feel that my heart is forever changed. This Christmas definitely is.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mother. I’ve so enjoyed getting to know you this year.
Thank you Joyce! It’s been so great getting to know you as well! I’m hoping you and your family have a wonderful holiday and plenty of time to sit and relax!
What a beautiful post about 2 different ways to see the same event. Hope your holidays and filled with beautiful moments.
Thank you so much Karen! The holiday season has been filled with many fun memories thus far! Wishing your family the very best!
Wonderful, random hugs, random acts of kindness, no embarrassment, the innocence of youth. We can all take lessons from this. Lovely.
Thank you Emma! Oh yes, the young are not self-conscious at all! If only I could learn to be more like them! Where and why does that ability go?!
To echo what everyone already said, “you are indeed blessed!” I love how you told the back story of your children’s holiday performance, which happened to fall on the same day of the tragedy in Connecticut. There is no shame in celebrating your beautiful babies!
Thank you Anka! Sometimes, I get too wrapped up wondering if people are judging my parenting or my children’s behavior and forget what is important. It would have been great if I could have kept my kid sitting nicely on the bleachers but since his alternative was dancing and hugging I can’t really complain. I always have to remind myself what is truly important!
Those are the special memories you will hold onto and the stories you will retell for years to come. I’m so glad you had great concerts! Merry Christmas! Kerry
Thanks Kerry! Special memories indeed! I hope you and your family have a very special Christmas filled with many happy memories! Melissa
Nothing to be embarrassed about – just music, sweet impulsive hugs, and jingle bells. Your kids are so sweet! 🙂
Beautiful post.I love that your little guy gives out random hugs.Always remember that a mothers red cheeks are what keeps us humble because we have the greatest kids.I always like the kid that stops a production best.Merry Christmas and God’s Blessings to you and your sweet sweet kids.
Totally smiled through reading this…just really sweet and funny !
Thank you! That concert certainly had me on a roller coaster of emotions!!
I just love your story-telling. You truly hit the spot in me that sets off my emotions…all kinds of emotions. Happy, amused, sad, nostalgic. And you manage to put a smile on my face. Can’t wait for you to publish a book with all your wonderful and warm stories. (Sorry for the tardiness…I somehow missed a few of your posts due to the frenzy of the holidays!)
Thank you so much Lidia! No problem, on the tardiness…with all the goodies you were making during the Christmas season, it’s totally understandable! By the way, my husband wanted to know if I could get the bacon fudge recipe from you!!!