Utterly bizarre!

So there was I yesterday evening at an Anglo/French carol concert in a small village church deep in rural France singing away with everyone else when my mind drifted away a bit from the proceedings in hand to thinking about the words which I was singing.  Now carols are very traditional by definition with a solid core central theme, you know, Mary, Joseph, Baby, Bethlehem, cattle, wise men and all that sort of thing, as well as snow and bitter weather but what we were singing only bore any connection just by the only connecting word, that of 'Christmas'.

You may by now well ask what was I singing?  A cheerful little ditty entitled 'Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree', one with which many people are probably familiar.  My initial thought was what the hell does this have to do with the real meaning of Christmas which by very definition is the time of celebration of the birth of Christ and all that implies for the the Christian world.  Not a mention of any of the foregoing whatsoever, instead we are praising the delights of a tree, yes a tree!  Not any ordinary tree but one decorated, bright with lights and glittering with baubles, tinsel and a fairy stuck on top in a very precarious and presumably uncomfortable position.  Anyone see a remote connection the real Christmas story then?  No, me neither!

Back to where my thoughts had meandered then - by the way the rumour spread about that men cannot multi-task is utterly false and malicious as I evidenced yesterday evening by having apparently mastered the difficult art of singing and thinking simultaneously.  There was I in a seemingly bizarre situation uttering noises totally unconnected and sentiments with what some believe is the  real meaning of the Christmas season.  Not only doing this but in full public view and hearing as well!  Believe me should this happen at any other time of the year, especially in sight and sound of the populace at large, then it would be suggested that I was under the influence of mind altering substances, drink or simply barmy and could well be taken to what is legally defined as 'a place of safety' for my own wellbeing and protection.

Above all I was reminded of of a Christmas carol which once suffered the attention of the legendary Mrs Spooner presumably about inmates of a Hamburg lunatic asylum- 'God Rest ye Gerry Mentalmen'.

Finally and even more bizarrely this is sung to the tune of that well known communist anthem 'The Red Flag'.

Merry Xmas to one and all.