How organised are you for Christmas?
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Roughly a month out from December 25, the preparations are starting to pick up pace.
My younger kids are writing – and amending – their wish lists, and there are strong requests for some new tree decorations every time we go shopping.
We are surrounded by images of the “perfect” Christmas.
Designer-created trees swamped by bow-topped gifts, an immaculately presented table and a meal that would shame TV chefs are held up as the ideal for a successful festive season.
But what would happen if we just said no to the impossible standards that are held up as the goal we should try to achieve?
What really matters to you at Christmas? Faith? Family? Friends? Seeing the community come together and put thoughts of gift wrapping to one side?
We in Wagga are lucky enough to have a wonderful Christmas event that manages, in the course of three hours, to bring a great deal of simple, joyous celebration back into the festive season.
For nearly 40 years, the Wagga Christmas Spectacular has been an essential part of our city’s celebrations.
It’s changed over the years from carols by candlelight with featured performers to an event that brings an array of wonderful local talent, but there is one thing that hasn’t changed: It is still a chance for the community to come together.
This year’s event will be held at the Wagga Music Bowl from 6.30pm on Sunday, December 17.
Individual artists will include Siobhan McSweeney, Cathy Wall, Michael Whittington, Ange Currington and Adam Corning. They will be joined by the Cantilena Singers, Riverina Conservatorium Ensembles and Regional Schools Choir, and dancers King of Queens plus the Leanne Nicol Dancers.
South Wagga Lions will sell their usual range of hot foods, traditional and glow candle bags. Other food, drinks and Christmas novelties will be available for purchase throughout the night.
Kurrajong’s development services manager Cathie Smith this week described the event as a “gift to the committee” and she is very right in a number of ways.
It is three hours of wonderful Christmas entertainment, led by the Australian Army Band Kapooka, which is presented free of charge because Wagga businesses and community groups are willing to support it both financially and with their time.
Proceeds go to Kurrajong’s Hildasid Community Farm, a long-planned project aimed at offering both a day program for people with a disability, and to benefit the wider community.
Funds raised at the event will, no doubt, prove handy for the Hildasid project, but that’s not the real benefit to the Spectacular.
The real benefit is that Wagga residents have the chance to enjoy a night of simple entertainment on what has to be one of the most magical nights on the city’s calendar.
Christmas music is truly beautiful, and there is something quite special about sharing this night with others.
No gadgets, no gimmicks, just a night of fun and lovely music.
In the midst of the chaos that comes with Christmas time, this is the chance to stop, sit still and enjoy time with family and friends. Christmas is about many different things to many different people. Surely one of the finest is sharing beautiful music.
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