* Carol Singing spreading Christmas Joy begins in Canacona
Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: With the onset of the third Advent Sunday, the Christmas season has begun with several groups going from house-to-house singing Carols on the Gaudete Sunday.
The poignant jingles of Christmas carols reverberate through the air as Carolers, young and old wearing Christmas Caps and singing at the Christmas beats infact began the festive season ahead, getting everyone in festive mood.
Several groups from the respective Small Christian
Community (SCC) mostly depicting a live crib with Joseph and Mary carrying baby Jesus, accompanied by the Shepherds and the Santa Claus who distributes goodies in the form of sweets and chocolates to the children, singing Christmas carols all along went around visiting houses in their areas.
While some groups sang the Carols without any musical instruments a few others had the youths playing Guitar and Violin providing melodious music to the cheering membersBesides, singing the carols, the group enters the houses and conducts a small prayer with the family in attendance, then wishes everyone ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy New Year’ before coming out and proceeds to the next house/family.
Incidentally, the tradition to sing Carols out in the respective localities has been going on for the past few decades now, particularly in Chaudi town and the tradition soon spread in interior villages, with many youths from parishes of Agonda, Galgibaga, Loliem, Bhatpal visits houses singing Christmas Carols such as ‘Santa Claus is coming to Town’, Jezu Zolmola, Silent Night, almost a fortnight to go for Christmas day.
While most groups funds their carol singing activity contributing from their own pockets, a few groups reportedly uses the Carol Singing activity to collect money for charity.Incidentally, beginning the second Advent Sunday, Christmas masses are celebrated across all the Chapels and Holy-Crosses of respective Somudai’s (SCC), where a Crib is held, ‘Kuswad’ is distributed amongst all the members and different
Christmas Programs are organized as a preparation for the Christmas Day.