Carols of the season: Jesus’ little friends sing their heart out at church’s platinum jubilee

Santa Claus also made an appearance late into the evening.

KARACHI: Behind the stage, Jesus’ little friends were uncontrollable - running here and there, refusing to sit down - however, once they were on the stage, the little ones, in their green, red and white clothes, calmed down to sing Christmas carols to their heart’s content.

On Thursday evening, St Anthony’s Parish organised ‘Carols of the Season’, a carol-singing event that has been held every year for the past three years. The event included a group of around 150 children - known as Little Friends of Jesus -some of them as young as four years old.

“We didn’t get many days to prepare because our exams just finished,” apologised nine-year-old Kaylyn Rego, adding, “but we tried our best and now we know the carols by heart”. Her best friend, Bethany Vaz, was also part of the choir and the two girls were confident that they would perform next year, as well.

The church is celebrating its platinum jubilee this year and was heavily decorated to mark the event - with lights, red and green balloons, and paper lanterns. Soon after the tradition carols, a narrator explained the story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, as the children sang ‘God gave the world the perfect gift’.



Some of the children enacted the scenes, dressed up as Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds and the Kings. A Christmas crib made of straw was also set up right in front of the stage.

Dressed in brown robes, Kristen, who played the part of Joseph, said, “I read scriptures of Joseph to understand his character better.” Another girl, Almeida, said that this event always boosted their energy before the main celebrations begin next week.

The families were also excited to see their children share the limelight. Diana Joseph, who came to see her nieces and nephews, said that carol singing had changed immensely over the years. “Props, costumes and lights have all made the singing more lively and advanced.” Back in her childhood, Joseph recalled that carol singing was very different.

Once the carols ended, a special treat awaited the children. In walked Santa Claus, shouting “Ho! Ho! Ho!” amid cheers. After seeing the bearded fellow, the children burst into “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way”.

Aloysius Soares, who managed the choir, said carol singing was important for the Christmas spirit. “It is difficult to control children at times, and make them sing carols. But Christmas is for children, and without their activities, it would be incomplete.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2012.