Mince Pies and Carols

Yesterday, a unique cultural event took place at the Church of Saint Peter here in Argentat. It was a joint English/French Carol Service, organised to bring together the local community and its English residents in a sing-song, with nativity readings from the Bible by local schoolchildren in the two languages. The children had also been coached into a delightful rendering of 'Away in a Manger', complete with handheld candles, theatrical dimming of the lights. They even sang 'Little Donkey' entirely in English. 

We also had the opportunity to bellow out other carols like 'Once in Royal David's City', 'O Come All Ye Faithful', 'Hark the Herald Angels' and the like to the polite surprise to the French majority of the congregation who had previously thought us a rather reserved lot, full of sang-froid.

Our local Web-Wizz has already set this up on the Argentat website. Click here to see the article and a short slideshow-video of the service. The sound quality is excellent and gives a good idea of what it was like. The article, written by Corinne Escure, is translated, more or less, by me: ...

At the beginning of the autumn, Alice, Sue and Johanna [English and French members of a choral group] proposed to Père Damian [the local priest] that they could organise a traditional English Christmas Carol service. Johanna, teacher and parent at the Jean d'Arc school [in Argentat] also suggested this to the other teachers. They were charmed by this and also by the idea of a cultural event for the two communities [French and English]. Consequently, the schoolchildren started to practise bible readings [in both languages] and carols, to be ready for this unforgettable evening. French and English carols followed one another, the children's voices carrying beautifully in the warmth of occasion. The children carried 'Christingles', decorated oranges with candles, symbolising the Earth and Light - and a moment of sharing with the traditions of Great Britain. After the service, still feeling the charm of the English and French choristers and of the solo by Mr Eyrigoux [he sang 'Silent Night' in French - 'Douce Nuit'], everyone was invited to take mulled wine, mince pies and other patisseries. An evening, we hope, to be only the début of further cultural exchanges!

Then it started to snow. The next morning, Sunday 14th December gave us a real taste of winter - and a traditional Christmas scene:

Real sang-froid has now set-in. Time to stoke up the fire, a little early I admit, with the Yule-logs.

Mapmaker.