Holiday Week 1 is underway, and – as always – the Poet Laureate of Ce Soir Arts, the wonderfully erudite and kindly-natured Russell Eponym, took his place at The Magic Tree on Tuesday at Noon. Loaded with volumes of wonderful Christmas poetry and that charming way he has of doing – well, everything – Russell had us beaming with holiday joy! The music chosen was excellent, and his weekly Thought for the Day prepared us to approach Christmas with a new awareness and gratitude. Beautiful!

An annual treat at The Magic Tree is a special presentation by the delightful Raglan Carollers. These happy and beguiling denizens of the beautiful Raglan Shire in Second Life™ spread cheer wherever they go – all year long, but especially at holiday time. As always, they brought sweet energy and fun to the event as they sang carols and cajoled one another – good-naturedly, of course! And, yes…there were WAFFLES! What a lovely way to enliven the spirit of joy and happiness at this special time of year. Thank you, Raglan Carollers!

After all that merriment, Æon and I were ebullient and more than eager to share our friendly comments and sweet Christmas poems by Eugene Field and Clement C. Moore. I had more fun that you can imagine reading Field’s Ballad of the Jelly-Cake, as it calls to mind one of our favourite poems that Russell sometimes shared with great panache – Chocolate Cake! by Michael Rosen. It’s more than delightful…trust me! And so…after proper introduction, I launched into this sweetly harrowing tale. After, truly and happily spent in the reading, I took a deep breath and shared another of Field’s holiday works, The Sugar Plum Tree. After all, we had headlined our reading “A Child’s Christmas: When Sugar Plum Faeries Danced in our Heads!”

Æon took over at that point, and did Field proud with his superb reading of Jest Fer Christmas. This country-boy persona is just so charming…he’s won me over, again! And then…as the excitement of Christmas morning builds, the great Clement C. Moore’s work, A Visit from St. Nicholas captured our attention. We could picture mother and father…and the sweet children dreaming… SIGH…. Oh! And Rudolph and his fellows tramping on the roof, and Saint Nick filling each stocking with care. It was perfect for Christmas, and we enjoyed every moment!

We thank all who came to share with us, and if you didn’t make it…well, there’s more goodness coming your way! Stay tuned for Bryn Taleweaver with a reading filled with Seasonal Spirit and a reprise from us tomorrow at 2 and 3 PM SLT. Same station: The Magic Tree Reading Spot!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL…and to all a good night!