This is the time of year when we hear endless Christmas Carols until we become immune to the words because of repetition.  But there is still one carol that I always stop to enjoy.

From an earlier blog you would realize my favourite carol is Good King Wenceslas.

I have to admit that this was a carol that will always reminds me of the Christmas pageant/recitals at our elementary school.  It just begs for a kid to be the king and a younger kid to be the page.

Unfortunately when I tried out, the only role I got was singing in the group that did We Three Kings (I was gold).  I would have loved to have been be the page but never had the ability to hold pitch, so I was Melchior.

Years later we were singing Christmas carols with the family and all the kids were taking turns while Pat played the piano, when Mother and I sang Good King Wenceslas together unaccompanied.  She told me after that this was also a traditional pageant presentation at the Brora church when she was a kid in the late 20s and early 30s.

The other night I lead a group of women in the singing with all the verses.  It is truly a story song.

Now when I listen to the popular recordings on the radio or in our inventory of Christmas songs I realize that they leave out the ‘bring me flesh verse’ (to make the song fit 3 minutes)  Too bad.