The inevitable winter festival...
Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 03:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
auntbijouOkay, so last night, we went to the kids' school for the Winter Lorac. What? You've never heard of a Winter Lorac?? Oh, ye unprivileged masses....
Don't worry, I'd never heard of one either until two days ago. I kept thinking, what, are we reading like, a special Christmas version of Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax?"
No. It was a backward carol thing. No, the kids weren't singing Christmas carols backwards, (though that might have improved some of them). No, it was something else entirely. See, normally, when you have groups of carolers, what happens is you hear a knock on the door and you open it, and there's a bunch of people standing outside your door either dressed in fluffy hats, mittens, scarves and heavy overcoats, or shorts, sandals and very loud Christmas themed Hawaiian shirts (Christmas in Texas, folks, remember?), and they start singing, either very badly off-key, or very well indeed, and always with enthusiasm. In other words, the carolers come to YOU.
In a Lorac, however, the audience goes to the carolers.
Now, I can tell the teachers and staff at the Impossible Son's and Impertinent Daughter's school were picturing groups of laughing, happy parents hurrying from station to station in the school to listen to bright, happy children singing joyfully the songs of the seasons. Parents who had been happily munching on pizza and snacks bought from the PTO. Parents who would be just SO GLAD to take part in this exercise.
The reality was somewhat different.
And the kids got bored after about two rounds of singing the same song.
I have to say, the pre-K and kindergarten students were the most enthusiastic. They sang "Jingle Bells," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" five times with gusto, doing all the gestures with great energy and just having a fine old time. It was great. Yes, everyone had to do their carols five times. Because there are five grades, and after every session, all us parents and family had to shift locations. To go to the carolers.
The Impertinent Daughter's group was dubiously improved when one of the girls in the back row decided to add a bit of local color by blowing chunks, and causing the ranks to flee with various cries of "EWWWWW!" and "GROSS!" and "Awww, that SMELLS!!" It was quickly cleared up, the girl in question led off, cleaned up, and comforted, and the show went on. However, I think it will be quite some time before her family goes to Taco Bell again.
I think my favorite group was the second graders. Not because they were particularly good. They weren't. They sang with a lack-luster exhaustion that was almost contagious. No, what nearly did me in was their unique interpretatin of a Jose Feleciano song. They started off singing loudly and badly, "Fa-LEEEZ Navi-DAH!!! Fa-LEEEZ Navi-DAH!!!" Even the Hispanic, non-English speaking children were singing it that way, and with some glee, too, I might add. And I couldn't help but hear it all as, "Fa-LEEZ on the DOG!" So, as you can imagine, Auntie was standing there, tears in her eyes as she suppressed her merriment, struggling not to break down and disgrace herself. It was rather catching, though, as several of the little people caught my eye, saw the mischief dancing therein, and started giggling. Oh, it was so not good! The Husbandly One gave me a sharp poke and said, "Behave yourself." Oooooohhhhh!!!!!
It was good to escape.
What was even funnier was after that song ended, we all heard a plaintive voice say, "Are we done? Can we stop singing and go home now, PLEASE???"
Yes, I would say the Winter Lorac was a howling success.
Favorite moment? Watching four first grade teachers having to run and re-capture their choir when parents misinterpreted the music teacher's announcement that there was one more rotation and afterwards, they were to pick up their kids to take them home. They thought they were off the hook already and had started to depart.
Most horrifying moment? A member of the now infamous track team (and you ALL know who I'm talking about) was standing across the hall from me, spotted me and waved cheerfully, calling out, "Hi, Mrs. J!" to me. AAACK!!! The Husbandly One found this vastly amusing and teased me quietly during the first graders' performances, until he reminded me that this particular kid also played soccer for the U18 group, and most likely knew me that way. This was confirmed when he walked up after and addressed the Husbandly One as "Mr. J," and asked after the Impossible Son, and whether he was going to play soccer in the spring.
Perhaps I am too nervous.
*covers eyes* I am such a perv.
I hope this is the only Lorac I have to go to this Christmas, as I really, really don't think we can handle another!
Don't worry, I'd never heard of one either until two days ago. I kept thinking, what, are we reading like, a special Christmas version of Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax?"
No. It was a backward carol thing. No, the kids weren't singing Christmas carols backwards, (though that might have improved some of them). No, it was something else entirely. See, normally, when you have groups of carolers, what happens is you hear a knock on the door and you open it, and there's a bunch of people standing outside your door either dressed in fluffy hats, mittens, scarves and heavy overcoats, or shorts, sandals and very loud Christmas themed Hawaiian shirts (Christmas in Texas, folks, remember?), and they start singing, either very badly off-key, or very well indeed, and always with enthusiasm. In other words, the carolers come to YOU.
In a Lorac, however, the audience goes to the carolers.
Now, I can tell the teachers and staff at the Impossible Son's and Impertinent Daughter's school were picturing groups of laughing, happy parents hurrying from station to station in the school to listen to bright, happy children singing joyfully the songs of the seasons. Parents who had been happily munching on pizza and snacks bought from the PTO. Parents who would be just SO GLAD to take part in this exercise.
The reality was somewhat different.
And the kids got bored after about two rounds of singing the same song.
I have to say, the pre-K and kindergarten students were the most enthusiastic. They sang "Jingle Bells," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" five times with gusto, doing all the gestures with great energy and just having a fine old time. It was great. Yes, everyone had to do their carols five times. Because there are five grades, and after every session, all us parents and family had to shift locations. To go to the carolers.
The Impertinent Daughter's group was dubiously improved when one of the girls in the back row decided to add a bit of local color by blowing chunks, and causing the ranks to flee with various cries of "EWWWWW!" and "GROSS!" and "Awww, that SMELLS!!" It was quickly cleared up, the girl in question led off, cleaned up, and comforted, and the show went on. However, I think it will be quite some time before her family goes to Taco Bell again.
I think my favorite group was the second graders. Not because they were particularly good. They weren't. They sang with a lack-luster exhaustion that was almost contagious. No, what nearly did me in was their unique interpretatin of a Jose Feleciano song. They started off singing loudly and badly, "Fa-LEEEZ Navi-DAH!!! Fa-LEEEZ Navi-DAH!!!" Even the Hispanic, non-English speaking children were singing it that way, and with some glee, too, I might add. And I couldn't help but hear it all as, "Fa-LEEZ on the DOG!" So, as you can imagine, Auntie was standing there, tears in her eyes as she suppressed her merriment, struggling not to break down and disgrace herself. It was rather catching, though, as several of the little people caught my eye, saw the mischief dancing therein, and started giggling. Oh, it was so not good! The Husbandly One gave me a sharp poke and said, "Behave yourself." Oooooohhhhh!!!!!
It was good to escape.
What was even funnier was after that song ended, we all heard a plaintive voice say, "Are we done? Can we stop singing and go home now, PLEASE???"
Yes, I would say the Winter Lorac was a howling success.
Favorite moment? Watching four first grade teachers having to run and re-capture their choir when parents misinterpreted the music teacher's announcement that there was one more rotation and afterwards, they were to pick up their kids to take them home. They thought they were off the hook already and had started to depart.
Most horrifying moment? A member of the now infamous track team (and you ALL know who I'm talking about) was standing across the hall from me, spotted me and waved cheerfully, calling out, "Hi, Mrs. J!" to me. AAACK!!! The Husbandly One found this vastly amusing and teased me quietly during the first graders' performances, until he reminded me that this particular kid also played soccer for the U18 group, and most likely knew me that way. This was confirmed when he walked up after and addressed the Husbandly One as "Mr. J," and asked after the Impossible Son, and whether he was going to play soccer in the spring.
Perhaps I am too nervous.
*covers eyes* I am such a perv.
I hope this is the only Lorac I have to go to this Christmas, as I really, really don't think we can handle another!
