Guest columnist Paul Gleeson shares his memories of Ocean Grove’s much-loved Carols in the Park.
The best day of the Ocean Grove calendar is Carols in the Park.
Years ago, our night at the carols began with us walking down the main street and me getting a little carried away.
I informed my kids that the shops in the main street, because of Christmas, had changed names. The Terrace is now Tinsel Terrace, Bookgrove is Baubles and Books, Strapper is Surfing Santas and Dynamic Discounts is Dasher and Dancers.
With an orange sky, I began.
“Here he goes, the guy in the big red suit straight into Surfing Santas. Santa, you haven’t got time to buy a surfboard. Blink and you’ve missed him. Look at him go now into Baubles and Books; Santa wants to read a book about himself. He’s gone quazy. Oh no, now he’s gone to get his reindeers, Dasher and Dancer. He’s gone.”
My three- and five-year-olds heads were spinning.
“Where Dad?”
“Come on.” I put my hands playfully on my hips. I was excited and my kids now knew the drill, Dad would be answering his own questions. “If you do a hard left and a hard right, where do you get to? Ocean Grove Park. And why is that important tonight, my elves? Because it’s Carols by Candlelight. Let’s go.”
We ran together.
The weather was always a factor everybody had to consider when attending the carols. The start of the day was sunny, but then dark clouds and cold winds appeared. It was as if the carols couldn’t be sung without winter. The patrons knew a downpour could happen at any moment and sang the first song, ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ as if it were the last. Next was ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’. The singer crooned Johnny Cash-like, sustaining deep, almost spoken notes.
A range of carols was then sung, and there was something for everyone, from ‘12 Days of Christmas’ to ‘Last Christmas’. They were all performed to a mass of blankets, chairs, treats, drinks, and togetherness. The younger kids were becoming a little ratty, as understandably they just wanted one thing. Promises had been made by the MC. Then, at last, the opening to ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ came on. Santa appeared, and children went into overdrive, legs bouncing, Santa hats bopping, and mini hands waving.
Next some very young primary school students were walking up the stairs to perform ‘Silent Night’. At the same time, they were searching, with mouths wide open, for their relatives. ‘Silent night’ was almost sung in complete silence, but this only added to the oohs and ahhs from their grandparents. Everybody else responded and lifted their candles, with their mini flames swaying, united in blackness. Fittingly, it ended with the
John Lennon classic ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’.
We carried our children back to the car. Thanks OG.
