Some people start the Christmas season in August, or at the very least during the week of Thanksgiving.
For me, though, it can never really be the Christmas season until the Festival of Lessons and Carols at WVWC. There is just something about the music, the chapel itself, the organ cranked up and many voices joining together as we sing, “O Come All Ye Faithful” or “Joy to the World.”
Although there were musical celebrations and concerts from way back in the 1890s, and for awhile it was a combination of the Hanging of the Greens and the music, the present form of this program began in earnest in 1980.
Early Years
There have been choir concerts, band concerts, orchestra concerts, and every combination of these things through the years to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. The joy and the sense of community at these celebrations has been around for a long time.
Here are some examples from Christmas 1961, shown in the January 1962 issue of the Sundial. This was the first year for a special group of choir members, the Wesleyan Chorale, under the direction of Irma Hopkins Collins.
Hanging of the Greens
During Christmas of 1961, another Wesleyan Christmas Tradition was born. For many years both the Hanging of the Greens and the Lessons and Carols were combined into one program, although that is no longer the case.
The January 1962 Sundial also explains this tradition and provides us with an accompanying photograph.
Climaxing the Christmas observances “The Hanging of the Green” joined the list of traditions at Wesleyan on December 12. This enactment of an ancient English custom involved the legend of the hanging of the green as well as the relating of the significance of the laurel, mistletoe, holly, and ivy in the folklore of the English people. A wreath including the four Christmas greens was presented to James Stansbury, assistant to the president, who accepted it on behalf of President Stanley H. Martin who was ill.
Festival of Lessons and Carols
From 1980 until his retirement in 2013, Dr. Larry R. Parsons directed an Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols. It was inspired by the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge – which is celebrating 100 years of this tradition this year.
The music has been beautiful, haunting, expressive, and joyous in this format for 38 years, always done with care and hard work. From year to year the styles of music have changed – sometimes with organ and piano only, other years with brass or woodwind choirs or harp or chamber orchestras, cello, or violin. But always the choirs are well prepared and present a gift to the assembled crowd.
Always the traditional readings have been included. The readers have changed from year to year, generally including campus leaders from all areas of the community. Lists of participants reads like a Who’s Who of Wesleyan through the years. Click here to see details of this beautiful tradition.
The traditions have been carried on by R. Daniel Hughes and his choirs. He is including other area choirs from the community as well.
Importance to Choir Members
The preparation of this music has been something that choir members through the years report being very challenging, incredible amounts of work, and one of the things they fondly remember most about their college years.
In fact, this particular year, two Choir Alumni came back to Lessons and Carols with choirs of their own students. Barbara Wygal Lutz, 1978, and Jeremiah Smallridge, 2007 (each a choir Giant in his and her own right) directed their students (who were absolutely amazing!) Barb’s group travelled to Buckhannon from Greenbrier East High School, and Jeremiah shares his talents and joy for music at Buckhannon-Upshur High School.
Importance Beyond Our Campus
This year the program was shared via Facebook Live so that those who are not in Buckhannon could see and hear this important tradition. As of this writing 1,670 people have been reached by the video post and there have been over 1,000 views. That number keeps rising, making this accessible in a wonderful 21st century kind of way. Comments on this feed have come from ecstatic alumni, parents of singers, and many others who were not able to be here in person. For those of you with Facebook, check out WVWC Creative Arts to access this video.
Many pastors who are alumni of the college report that they have similar Christmas programs in their churches, inspired by their experiences here.
Following the Festival of Lessons and Carols we gather around the Campus Christmas Tree for the official lighting ceremony. This year was unseasonably warm and void of snow — but that is certainly not always the case!
Sing We Now of Christmas
With participants from across time, and with participants elsewhere, we bring in the Christmas Season on campus.
This year marks 50 Years of Christmas Celebration in Wesley Chapel, 38 Years of Festival of Lessons and Carols format, and the 100 Year Anniversary of King’s College at Cambridge celebrating in this way.
Now it can be Christmas!