Sabonis-Chafee Caroling Party

Way back when Mike and Kim were in high school, we began a tradition of caroling at Christmas. In the early years we invited a few friends to sing and come back for chili. Our group would always return from caroling with far more people than we had when we started! Neighbors would join us to spread the joy. Well, it kept evolving; one year it was pouring down rain so we all gathered in the kitchen at Shiver Summit and people would shout out phone numbers that we would call and carol to over the phone. Then there was the year that we were in between homes and we rented the "Town Square Delicatessen" of the apartment complex we lived in. We stood on the town green, in front of the lighted fountain and beautiful Christmas trees and caroled up to the apartments above. People flung open their windows to listen. There were also times that Shannon would come dressed as Santa Claus and sing, solo; "Rudolf with you nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight", when the carolers sang Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer, for the children that came to the doors.

As Mike and Kim's friends got older and their generation started to multiply, Kim took over the annual tradition, and we moved the party to Roswell. Mike makes his famous turkey chili, Tom his smoking HOT chili and I make mild chili for the children. Kim welcomes us into their beautiful, candle-lit home with the halls decked out in Christmas finery. Chips and dips, crackers and cheese, ham and biscuits, cookies and bars and cookies and cookies. It's a smorgasbord of culinary delights! She does such a lovely job putting all that together.

But that's not the best part. The best part is that the joy of Christmas abounds. As we don the red scarfs that I made so long ago at Shiver Summit, one notices that the children are excited and that they know just what to do. It has become their party too, and they honor it as such. They are fully in charge of the passing of the jingle bells and the ringing of the door bells. They sing and eagerly eat the treats offered at the homes of a generous audience.

"Oh come let us adore Him." (Boys), "Oh, come let us adore Him." (Girls), "Oh, come let us adore Hi..mm, CHRI-IST. THE LORD." (All)! We sing, as our leader (Kim) taught us. What a joy to "go tell it on the mountain!" It's the one night that I can truly say it's about the Christ child.

So, in the tradition of the Carolers as we leave each house, "We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"