Christmas Bells

One of our church's - and handbell program's - most loved traditions is our Christmas bell choir. Anyone who has ever played bells and will be home for Christmas is invited to play for the 10 p.m. Christmas Eve service. We have one rehearsal, on Christmas Eve morning. There's usually orange juice and doughnuts or muffins. There are also lots of hugs, as everyone mills around, greeting old friends and meeting new ones. Eventually we're arranged into several bell choirs and the rehearsal begins. We use both our bell sets and borrow an extra set. This year we're expecting 35 ringers! Isn't that amazing? It's always exciting to see which piece has been chosen. (And I've heard what we're doing this year...and can't remember!) The rehearsal will last an hour and a half, and by the end there's a pretty impressive-sounding piece and a lot of new memories. Bill says this is a highlight of his holiday. I think it's a highlight of everyone's Christmas. In our grand tradition of catchy names, this group is called - wait for it - Extollers. :)

Here's a group photo of the 2006 Extollers:

Merry Christmas, everyone!

- Nancy