Carolers gather in McCalley Park
A cheerful and brightly-colored flock of Hollin Hills songbirds gathered in McCalley Park on December 20 for the community Holiday Singalong, and -- despite chilly temperatures, wobbly tempos, and the occasional confusion about which page of the songbook we were on -- turned in a rousing performance for this venerable family event.
About 50 of us, all differently-abled in the singing department, showed up, and Master/Mistress of Ceremonies Matt Kies and Roxy Hoveyda were there to provide direction, encouragement, Christmas cookies and, of course, apple cider. Kapellmeister Kies patiently corralled the carolers to the right song, gave us a downbeat, and promised that the more loudly we sang, the warmer we would be. (W can report that this was, in fact, not entirely true.)
Roxy Hoveyda and Matt Kies
And, while the songs sometimes got off to a cheerfully free-range start, we managed to reach a loose consensus re: pitch and tempo as the evening went on, and did minimal damage to classics like “Hark the Herald” and “Frosty the Snowman.” But the best, of course, was a foot-stomping rendition of “Feliz Navidad”, the most fun of all to sing — especially for the adults who managed to sneak a little rum into their cups of Christmas cider (to, you know, be of good cheer).
Bundled up in our blinking sweaters, Santa hats and reindeer antlers, we sang more and more loudly, encouraged by Kies to make our voices heard across the hilltops of Hollin Hills, and even unto the valley beyond. It was all hugely enjoyable, and as the dusk turned to night, Santa Claus himself appeared, passing out candy canes to the kids as the carolers greeted him with a rousing “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
The event has been a Hollin Hills tradition since 1951, when singers first gathered at the corner of Paul Spring and Stafford Road to sing around a Christmas tree donated by developer Robert Davenport. For the past couple of years it’s been organized by Matt and Roxy, who are finishing up a four-year, wildly successful stint as the Civic Association’s Social Directors, where they’ve put together Fourth of July picnics, Winter Potlucks, Oktoberfests and all the other great events that bring the community together. Many thanks to both of them — and to Robert “Call me Santa” Hale, and Bob Blanford for decorating the McCalley Park tree!
