Warragul carols a team effort
This week, lots of people will be dusting off their trees and decorations in preparation for getting into the Christmas spirit.
A small group of people are hard at work organising and preparing for the very special Christmas Eve Warragul Carols by Candlelight event.
It’s hard to say exactly what year the Christmas Eve Carols tradition actually started – but it’s believed to be well over 40 years ago.
This event is a true Christmas gift to the community - but there are costs involved.
Last year the Ministers Network, Gladstone Medical Centre, Waterford Rise and Integra Quality Builders all chipped in to help cover the approximately $6000 production cost.
Carols co-ordinator Glen Treble says the sale of merchandise on the night also helps.
“Somehow we always seem to have enough money to cover our costs each year.”
Last year about 2500 people went to Civic Park to enjoy a night of festive celebrations and quality carols by candlelight production put on by generous and talented local musicians and entertainers.
The theme of this year’s carols Christmas Tree. is the
“For many, celebrating Christmas is as much about the decorations and preparation as it is about presents and special time with loved ones, Sallie Jones says.
“We set up a Christmas tree in the weeks prior to Christmas Day, adorning it with tinsel, baubles and handmade creations and placing a special ornament on the top.
“Some trees are immaculately dressed, others have a ‘home-made’ flair, but all have one thing in common: the actual Christmas tree.:
Ms Jones says the tree can often get hidden behind all the hype, but it is a visual mainstay of celebrating Christmas.
“Similarly, the traditions of Christmas celebrations and the excitement of giving gifts can sometimes overshadow the miracle of Jesus’ birth and the hope that it brings for Christians.
“Yet Jesus is the mainstay of what we are celebrating. Like the tree, all of the trimmings and traditions of Christmas really have nothing to hang on without the hope of Christ.”
Further information on Warragul’s Carols by Candlelight at https://m.facebook.com/warragulcarols/ or http://instagram.com/warragulcarolsbycandlelight.