Temple Square South

For the last several years our church has put on a Christmas festival for the community. It is a very big deal. It runs for three nights in December, and this year more than 2,000 people attended. From the lighted trees and candle-lined sidewalks outside to the hundreds of nativities, themed trees, and holiday quilts on display to the three-room live nativity that looks like a movie set, our little Huntsville Stake Center gives Temple Square in Salt Lake City a run for the money. I wish I had pictures to post because really the only word I can use to describe the event is "professional." Just to give you an idea of the attention to detail that goes into this event--an army of volunteers made and packaged hand decorated gingerbread men to be handed out to each guest. The dough was mixed at home but was brought to the church to bake so that the church would smell like gingerbread cookies in the evening when the guests began to arrive.

I have never taken the time to help in years past. The holidays are just so busy and I had heard some horror stories about the rigors of the decorating. But, this year I was asked to play oboe in the orchestra. I was thrilled but also very nervous. My oboe hasn't seen the light of day in years. The 75 member choir and 25 piece orchestra put on eight 30-minute concerts during the festival. We have an amazing choir director and the concerts are the highlight of the festival. They were also one of the highlights of my Christmas this year.

Our Stake President made recordings of the concerts and has posted them online. You can listen to them by clicking here. My personal favorites are: O Come All Ye Faithful; Fum, Fum, Fum; and Deck the Halls.