As those who stay with us know, as we prepare meals and dine, I put on appropriate music genres on our Sonos system.  Generally easy listening or Classical.

Of course at this time of year they are all Christmas songs.

This year I try to add, early on, a version of the song “Baby it’s cold outside” as a protest against political correctness.

Our Probus club singing group had our carol night this week.  This is a group that meets monthly to sing familiar songs.  Not a choir, but about 25 people our age, mainly women, who just like to sing.  My role has become the story guy who introduces each song with a bit of trivia.  The leaders of the group are three very gifted guitar-playing ladies who select the songs and accompany us.  I get some recognition for being the story teller.  Pat will tell you that, on the whole, the group likes it.

This week we sang carols and I only had a brief introduction to the evening.  I started with the story about the local mall that banned the Salvation Army choir from singing carols that actually mentioned Jesus or Christ or the birth (heaven forbid).  Then I mentioned the ban on stations to play Baby it’s Cold Outside because of the Me Too movement. I mentioned the proposed ban on Rudolph because it was about bullying, and of course Jingle Bells commemorates a bunch of drunken louts terrorizing a town in New England after the American Thanksgiving in their sleighs (obviously celebrating  drinking and driving).  Don’t get me started with the issue of White Christmas or the issue of Santa keeping slave labour who are physically challenged.

These are actual complaints being brought to court.  Recently in BC, an atheist couple won a court case against their local school board because their child was being exposed to Christmas “lies”, and were awarded $15,000.

My talk to the group, after describing these issues, was that carols should remind all of us of our childhood where carols were songs of joy and anticipation.  This was well received.

Still, I wonder if my great grandchildren will be able to enjoy the wonders of the Carol season leading to Christmas.