Because I am on vacation I had the chance the help my wife with her "December" (can't call it Christmas, Chanukkah or Holiday even!) concert featuring the Junior Kindergartners through Grade Twos. For some reason a couple of Nöel songs sneaked into the program but it ended with a "unity" song so all was well. My role was rather modest in that I helped the custodian set out the chairs for the parents and, during the performance, I assisted moving some Orff instruments on and off the "stage". Yes, it was a typical kids concert but this, to me, is more the spirit of Christmas than the typical store or mall muzak carols. I have never heard Three Blind Mice (or Hot Cross Buns, same three notes) played in so many pitches on recorders. During the songs I noticed that, for many kids, there's not a lot of difference between singing and sprechstimme¹. Some of them moved unselfconsciously to their own rhythms, others, waiting their turn in the audience pestered each other or blew their recorders until they had them confiscated. A lot of energy and enthusiasm on the part of the kids and my wife, who led it all and caused it to happen, pleased the parents and relatives. Perhaps it is because my kids are leaving to build their own lives or maybe I am "mellowing" but I enjoyed it, too — I didn't enjoy these events particularly when my kids were participants. Back then, I was in amongst the parents and couldn't see all the kids and their reactions to what's going on around them as I could yesterday.