Christmas at Choristers

One of the distinctive features of a choir school is that the choirboys stay at school until at least Christmas Day. The myriad of special Christmas services, as well as their regular commitments means that much of their time is taken up with extra rehearsals and services. However, there is still plenty of time left over for play, and with no lessons, no other children and no teaching staff, the school becomes quite a different place. It is amazing quite how many parties, trips to the pantomime and cinema, football and go-karting can be squeezed in amongst the Cathedral commitments.

This year a particular highlight was the 5-a-side football tournament, parents and staff included. Several of the less practiced players were seen to be hobbling painfully around Durham the following day. The Christmas Eve party saw the introduction of a new game "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"; this required two teams comprising parents, grandparents, staff and boys, two red noses, two jars of Vaseline for gluing noses and a race around the dining room and Chorister Corridor. By the end of the party the boys were more than ready to go to bed in order to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for stockings and presents in the morning.

...and Yesterday

Excerpt from Speech Day Reports by Canon H. Y. Ganderton Headmaster of The Chorister School 1929 - 1957 After the "Stir-up" Collect on the Sunday before Advent there came a day when the boys were invited to invade the kitchen quarters to stir the Christmas puddings, which they did most vigorously, and no doubt a few took a surreptitious dip into the bowl to sample the raw contents. A day or two before Christmas the dormitories and dining room were decorated with paper streamers, flags and balloons. One began to be aware of a subdued but growing excitement as Christmas Eve approached.

For two events of great importance always took place on that day: the Carol Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in the Cathedral, for which the boys had been practising for many weeks, and to which parents and friends would most likely be coming; and not unconnected with their arrival, later in the evening there would be the opening of Christmas parcels.

This was a tremendous affair, for parcels had been arriving daily by post - not entirely unknown to the boys, of course - and was locked away in a cupboard ready for this occasion. This always took place in the sewing room, where the matron, assisted by the sewing maid, prepared to deal with the situation. The boys were allowed to come in three or four at a time in school order. In great excitement and with high hopes each boy got busy with his own pile of parcels of all shapes and sizes; quickly the string was cut and the wrapping paper pulled off and the contents revealed - a book perhaps from Aunt Jane, a new game from Uncle John, a scarf in school colours knitted by "Mum", some cash from "Dad", a box of sweets from brother Bill, and so on. Sometimes something quite original turned up, but mostly the sort of things expected. Names of the senders were carefully kept for future acknowledgement. If there were sweets, a few were given out and the rest put away for the time being. The other presents were taken into the classroom to be shown to their friends; new games were tried out, which kept them all happy till bedtime. But this was not the end of the excitement, for tomorrow was Christmas Day, and stockings had to be hung over the bed-rail of every bed, for they were quite sure "Santa" would be coming round the dormitories for they were quite sure "Santa" would be coming round the dormitories about mid-night to put something in, usually an apple and some sweets, to be eaten as soon as found in the early morning. It had been rumoured that "Santa" had once been seen by some sleepy-eye who had been determined to keep awake, and that he had been rewarded by the sight of a bearded figure in a red cap and a fawn-coloured gown (dressing?) who had performed a solo dance in the middle of the Babes' dormitory! So the few determined ones tied their dressing-gown cords so that they were linked together, and by a tug now and again could keep each other awake, or thought they could. But after the excitements of the day eyes soon grew drowsy, and as the whispers died away slumber held sway until the early hours, and "Santa" did his job without interruption, though a few suspicious snores might be heard. It was a standing order that silence should be observed in the dormitories before 7 o'clock on Christmas morning, even if some boys were awake. It seemed an opportune time, before rousing the boys, to put on a record of the Temple Church Choir singing carols, which in the quiet morning hour of Christmas Day filled the air with the sweet melodies of Christian tradition, and seemed to express most truly the beauty and meaning of the Day. A pause for the striking of the Cathedral clock at 7, and then things began to warm up. According to another tradition - an old Chorister School tradition - amid sudden shouts and laughter, pillows were seized and a terrific pillow-fight followed; from one dormitory to another and along the corridors pyjama-clad figures hurled themselves upon their victims. Anyone was fair game for a hearty thwack, and if pillows split, as they sometimes did, so much the more like Christmas it became. The fun lasted only about ten minutes and then a whistle was blown, and after sorting themselves out, off they trooped somewhat reluctantly to get washed and dressed. (Clean collars and Eton Suits!) On the breakfast table a little pile of gifts lay before each member of the Staff, placed there the night before secretly by the boys, (Bless them) who now watched eagerly as each was opened and acknowledged. The Christmas Day Services in the Cathedral were usually well attended and the Dean always preached at matins. Sometimes the Bishop was present.

The choristers - those very same boys, whose cheerful exuberance had been so actively displayed a few hours earlier - were now once again the responsible well-behaved young gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir - all this very much in character, of course, according to the nature of the species! And how beautiful and moving their soaring voices could be at their best, and they certainly gave of their best at Christmas. The great candelabra in the Choir were aglow with candles on this day, and after Evensong three short carols were sung to conclude the Festival. But the School "Feast" was yet to come. Lunch on this day was but a lightweight affair, a mere token. The main meal - Christmas Dinner - always took place in the evening, when all the singing was over and there was time for relaxation. And by this time appetites were becoming keen, sharpened by the anticipation of good things to come, until at last came the signal about 6 o'clock that all was ready. What a cheerful sight it was - the dining room bright with coloured streamers and fairy lights, tables lit by candles and decorated with crackers, and all around smiling eager faces and endless excited chatter! And what a feast! Two great turkeys, each above 20lbs. in weight, were brought in, and after Grace had been said, the Headmaster and his colleagues began the task of carving - no small task to keep these hungry mouths filled. Second helpings were the rule, which followed unbelievable quickly upon the first. And then a pause to allow the two 'carvers' to complete their own meal before going on to the next course. But now an old ritual had to be gone through. Lights were put out, except for the candle light on the tables, and the Headmaster went out to bring in the Plum Pudding. A giant it was! As he entered with the pudding all ablaze the boys began to bang their spoons on the table making a most unmusical and quite outrageous din, which subsided only when they decided to use their somewhat flattened implements to better advantage. There was some fun as unexpected sixpences turned up, which seemed to have got mysteriously mixed up with the pudding. And then came the toasts: the King (or Queen), and Absent Friends - for we were all very conscious of loved ones at home on Christmas Day. It was also the custom to call in the Cook and the Maids at this point in the proceedings, to thank them for their services, wish them a Happy Christmas and as fine a Christmas dinner to follow as we had enjoyed. Then crackers were pulled, paper hats donned and fruit and nuts, sweets and coffee served out, which brought the meal to an end - a full end, one might say. The final act of the day was an organised whist drive in the classroom, where tables and chairs were set out in readiness. Boys who had never played before had already been instructed by the matron in previous weeks, so that all could now take part. This was a good finish to the day because it was a sitting-down game, and needed concentration, which had a calming effect on their excited spirits. And so they all enjoyed themselves until about 9 o'clock, which was to be their bedtime tonight. Prizes were given: to the winning "lady", the winning gentleman, and a booby prize which always caused much merriment. So came the end of a wonderful, exciting and tiring day. Upstairs in the dormitories each boy said his prayers at his own bedside, and this time no efforts were made to keep each other awake. I think within five minutes of the dormitory lights being switched off, not a single eye would be open - while the Headmaster and his Staff relaxed with a sigh of relief that all had gone well, and drank a glass of wine as they ticked off another Christmas Day on the Calendar.