Diversity of Holidays
I just finished talking with my wife about “Four Calling Birds” and how in the 12 days of Christmas song the line used to be “Four Colly Birds.” If we were still performing regularly with the Magic Neighbors troupe doing New York Public Library performances, we might have integrated this fact and other info regarding traditions of the diverse holidays that are celebrated around this time.
Things Change
But our daughter is older now and not the young toddler who used to enjoy walking around the performance area during us performing near the book stacks with our portable stage curtains. Back then she wanted to be a part of the show, but her interests have developed into other things. And since much of what we do takes its cues from our daughter, for the moment anyway we have hung up our Magic Neighbors costumes in the back area of our closets. Plus of course, COVID-19 has made live performance difficult, substituted with virtual shows.
Origins of a Song
But the holidays are still fun and looking at the meaning and origin behind classic holiday songs is a part of that fun. For example, it turns out that “The Twelve Days of Christmas” began its own evolution in England in 1780 without music but rather as a chant or rhyme.