Elizabeth City, The Advance believes, has a unique distinction in that for 15 years without a break Christmas caroling has been observed here. The singing of outdoor Christmas carols in the hours immediately following midnight at the homes of friends is an old custom that has been more or less generally revived for the last four or five years until now there are hundreds of cities in which these old Christmas songs ring out on the night air of Chrismas morn. But if there is another town that has had Christmas caroling for 15 years without interruption, we have not seen or heard of it.
Shortly after the Christmas carolers this year had sung their sweet songs under the window of The Advance household, lifting for the moment the burden from hearts that had been heavy on account of illness in the home, one heard the patter of rain on the roof and knew that the singers had braved unfavorable weather to make their usual rounds. This is the spirit that has kept Christas caroling in Elizabeth City through 15 years while other towns have revived it only to forget it.
The Advance has so often spoken its appreciation of Elizabeth City’s Christmas caroling and carolers that we are going to yield today to Frank Scattergood, who sends the following contribution as coming from “one who heard and enjoyed” this year’s carols:
“One cannot help but remark upon the treat rendered to those who were privileged to hear and thus enjoy the Christmas carolers who shortly after midnight of December 24 and so on Christmas morning rendered the several selections commemorating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“It was about half past 1 o’clock that the writer heard two cars drive up in front of his house and unload a choice selection of sweet singers who immediately came up on the porch and, under the leadership of our good friend, Larry Skinner, proceeded to favor us in so delightful a manner by singing those selections from which time has taken none of the beauty, and render them in such a manner that their production could hardly be excelled. It was delightful and we who listened were taken back to the days of our youth when we too went about early Christmas morning singing the same songs to our friends and neighbors.
“Elizabeth City is to be congratulated upon having among its people those who are never too tired or weary, and who take no thought of the weather, but who cheerfully use their talent in bringing cheer thus early on the birthday of our Lord.
“We thank them and pray that the privilege may long be theirs.”
From the editorial page of The Daily Advance, Elizabeth City, Saturday evening, Dec. 27, 1924
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92074042/1924-12-27/ed-1/seq-2/
No comments:
Post a Comment