It's the Most MUSICAL Time of the Year

The week before Christmas was truly one of the most jam-packed holly-jolly weeks of festivities ever in the history of the Preslar family.

It was the Monday after the cabin trip. And the first big event of the week was Troy's company work party. It was being held at a fancy restaurant in Gardner Village, called Mystique. Troy informed me that we would be watching a magic show. Oh dear. That sounded sort of dreadful to both of us. But it was super important to support the company and Troy's super kind boss, Mitch. We needed to be there. We needed to be early (unlike the last couple of years). We needed to chat with those around us. So, we girded our loins and went. And we should not have had bad attitudes about it. It was actually so fun. I think I was imagining a really cheesy magician with a top hat and a cloak and lots of winking and hamming it up and stuff. But it wasn't like that at all. 

For starters, the restaurant is just a one-room place, with one large table on the floor and two narrow tables on either side with only one row of chairs each, all facing the front and center of the room, where a grand fireplace stood. The room looks like some banquet hall from Elizabethan times, and was decked out for Christmas. My little holiday-heart just warmed at the sight of all the maroon velvet and draping garlands and candles and theatrical lighting. It was over the top in a really fun way.

We had a five-course meal (like my belly really needed that...ugh but also yum). We enjoyed everything from prime rib to coconut sorbet palate cleansers. True feasting. Then came the magic show. Which was, frankly, pretty darn amazing. The guy wasn't cheesy at all. He had performed in Vegas and on tv and stuff and was really good. We had a really nice time.

Tuesday night we had tickets to some sort of Christmas music show at Abravanel Hall. That's all I really knew about it. Emily had asked me if Troy and I wanted to go about a month before and I thought...sure! I love Christmas music, I love time with friends, sounds great. Let's do it. But when it came down to it, I really had no idea what we were getting in to. Troy asked me what we were going to go see and all I could say was that it was some kind of Christmas concert. Shrug? 

Well, it turned out to be something that blew our socks off, that's what. The Moores had an extra ticket so Chase joined us, plus Martin and Becca. We were seated on the main floor, and the seats in the balconies behind us were full, but there was no one seated on the sides. I wondered about that, until the stage started to fill with a huge orchestra, hundreds of choir members on risers behind them, then all three levels of the balconies began to fill with children who were all in the choir too. There must have been 500 people there to sing. I began to get the sense of what we were in for. A woman in a sweeping white ball gown appeared, bowed, and took her place as the conductor. The first song was God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, but not like I had ever heard it before. The conductor looked like the white witch of the north conducting a storm swirling all around her and the music produced was an absolute hurricane of glorious sound, music, percussion, clapping, and singing. It was incredible. Not the kind of thing I'd love to attend every day or listen to as my holiest music, but it sure was an experience.

Turns out it was an organization called Millennial Choirs and Orchestra, and it's just...it's just....quite something. 

Wednesday night was a 100% change in pace. I was able to get just a couple of tickets to the Carol Service at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. I was very blessed to be given extra tickets from Becca, and these ones were for actual seats. The ones I had snagged were standing room only. I'm telling you, those tickets were gone in under one minute the day they became available. I was lucky to have any at all. Troy needed a break from leaving the house and facing the parking and the crowds. So I went with Romney and Nicholas and guess what. Our seats just so happened to be next to my sweet friend Elyse and her son. Of all the lucky things to happen! Elyse and I just beamed at each other throughout the whole sacred performance, pointing out lyrics in the program that meant the most to us, and feeling the joy of the season and the birth of the Savior. My favorite was O Come Emmanuel. Just so beautiful, and slightly more calm than the night before.

And we were not done yet, oh no we were not!!

Thursday night...Peter Breinholt and friends performing their annual Christmas show. Again, a totally different feel than the last two nights. Folk, singer-songwriter. And we just love him. It was especially fun to see him since he left to spend a year in England with his family while his wife is getting a degree there. He's a neighbor of ours now and we have had a chance to get together a few times over the last year. 

But wait, there's more! Friday night I had tickets to the Christmas Concert at Tabernacle Square. Thank you, Becky! I was going to take Emma with me, but she ended up at a white elephant party with friends. I was going to go by myself to spare my poor husband another night on the town, but he said he was up for it. The concert was very pleasant as it always is even though I wasn't really familiar with the singer. The choir by themselves sang some especially lovely pieces, coming out into the audience and spreading out around the stage holding little candles. That was my favorite part, besides the very famous organ player who always has one jaw-dropping solo every year. This year he turned Pat-a-Pan into a jazz number and everyone just goes nuts for whatever he does. 

The week couldn't have been stuffed more full with music and parties. And every night was so completely individual. I was so grateful for each and every one of those events.

Happily, we had zero plans on Saturday night. Thank goodness. We needed a little down time!

However, the following Monday, December 23rd, Christmas Adam if you will, we made one last outing. Romney had her last Candlelight Christmas at This is the Place, and we invited Chase to join us in going up there for some wassail and donuts, tracking down Romney and hearing her cute demonstration about how pioneers decorated for Christmas. By the way, I'm obsessed with pioneer garlands now. We were able to hear Fran's singing group perform some carols, much to our delight. Fran wears a top hat well, I must say. 

And THAT was the end of our musical week. Phew!! Merry Christmas, Holy Crap, Where's the tylenol?