On December 23rd, our school had the annual Christmas Assembly. Each class performs, with most choosing just to sing a carol or song. The most senior 5th grade teacher always does a great Kwanzaa play with singing and dancing. For the past 3 years, my class has performed Pachabel’s Canon in D in 4 parts on the xylophones. The other 5th grade teacher conceded that she had to do a big production this year to keep up with the rest of us in 5th grade, so her class did “Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Hood” complete with Rudolph the Rappin’ Reindeer and Santa in some cool threads.
Well, this year, we didn’t have the time to do the xylophone thing. We have Mummers in Philadelphia so I decided the class could perform the Newfoundland carol – The Mummers’ Song by Simani and it would be relevant. I can always make Newfoundland stuff relevant to us somehow! I had to change the words a bit so we weren’t singing about drinking, but mostly, the words are unchanged. I played guitar.
My oldest daughter is a member of a Mummers’ String Band which marches every New Year’s Day in the Mummers Parade here. Go here to see her in costume. She lent us pieces of her last costume to wear. We had kids bring in oversized clothes and wigs. I brought in some stuff and I even purchased a Size 42 bra for someone to wear outside their clothes. |
