This was written and published on Christmas Day - I'm keeping out of Maureen's way whilst she is preparing the Christmas Dinner. (Maureen is now flooded with recipes for curry and chili - many thanks to all those who responded)

Two weeks before Christmas there was a hiss of air brakes as an enormous articulated cattle truck pulled up outside our house and someone rang our front door bell. Fortunately it was not Maureen going a bit over over the top in ordering beef "on the hoof" for Christmas but the usual, personal efficient service from Jim Holland, our local haulier, who was dropping off a small package containing goods that I had ordered from Kirkwall the previous day.

Anyone living on Stronsay might expect that there would be very few opportunities to hear any live orchestral or choral music unless they travelled to Mainland. However, when the ferry docked at Stronsay on Sat 17 December it disgorged a 40-strong contingent of the Sanday Fiddle Club & Choir who were giving a performance of Handel's "The Messiah" at 2 pm in Moncur Memorial Church, Stronsay. My car and half a dozen others quickly whisked the visitors up to the kirk so that they could commence final rehearsals. The ladies of the kirk provided the performers with sustenance during their rehearsals in the morning and provided tea & biscuits for everyone during the interval. There was one instance of minor drama - the orchestra had forgotten to bring their music stands. However, a quick phone call soon provided sufficient music stands on temporary loan from Stronsay school. Those inhabitants of Stronsay who were unable to attend this event (unfortunately it coincided with the annual broiler-plucking at Clestrain farm) missed an outstanding performance by an orchestra whose average age was probably not much more than 18 and a choir that sang their heart out. All the performers were enthusiastic and dedicated (one of the tenors lives on Stronsay and travelled to Sanday for rehearsals) and had been rehearsing for several months. Unfortunately, the solo soprano, Penelope Chalmers, was indisposed so Kate Howe took her place at very short notice. The other soloists were Julia Young (contralto), John Hayward (tenor) and the conductor, Mike Newman, doubled as the solo bass. The enthusiasm of the conductor, orchestra, soloists and choir communicated itself to the audience as they sang and played. After the final strains of the thrilling "Amen" chorus had reverberated around the kirk just after 4 pm the audience gave the Sanday Fiddle Club & Choir a well-deserved standing ovation. The same fleet of cars that had collected the performers returned them to the Fish Mart café (or the Stronsay Hotel for those in need of more serious refreshment) afterwards to await the arrival of the evening ferry to Sanday at 6:50 pm. The Sanday Fiddle Club & Choir repeated their performance of "The Messiah" at the Cross Kirk, Sanday on the following day, Sunday 18 Dec, at 3 pm.

By the early evening of Sat 17 Dec the weather had improved - the wind had dropped and the rain had ceased. This was very fortuitous because Santa paid us an early visit, seated on a decorated, brightly-lit sleigh which was drawn by a tractor - I presume that the reindeer were still having their compulsory rest period before the 25th. He was on his way to the Stronsay Hotel where he was available to receive letters from those youngsters who had been well-behaved during the previous 12 months..Quite a number of people, young and old, accompanied the sleigh and several dog owners had brought their pets along, collars and leads suitably decorated. One solitary, unaccompanied cat, its tail vertical and ramrod straight, had decided to join in the procession and brought up the rear. The people accompanying the sleigh received donations from householders as the sleigh processed through Whitehall Village, the money collected usually goes to provide equipment for the Stronsay Youth Club but this year the members decided that they had enough "goodies" so the money is going to the Macmillan Cancer Relief fund.

At the moment I'm deputising for the regular kirk organist. On Friday 23 Dec I played for the funeral of a Stronsay-born & bred resident in his mid 70s who had moved to Stromness earlier this year, the kirk was packed despite the foul weather. On Christmas Eve there was a 11:30 pm Watch Night service in the form of "Nine Lessons & Carols". For this service the organ was augmented by an orchestra of over a dozen players, mostly youngsters, playing a variety of instruments including fiddle, viola, accordian and guitar. We had a quick rehearsal on Friday afternoon and the Watch Night service itself went off wel, the kirk was packed. When we arrived at 11:15 pm we found that the wall around the front of the kirk was capped with umpteen glass jars each containing a small candle and there were more on the approach to the kirk porch, a lot of work but very effective. There was the usual 11:00 am service on Christmas Day.

Had to beg a lift to the kirk over Christmas as the car is off the road with a leak of oil from the automatic transmission. I'll have to phone the garage in Stromness when it re-opens on 28 Dec and seek advice on what to do next.

The monks had planned to hold a Carol Service on Thu 22 Dec but this was cancelled, such a pity because last year it was a really good event that was attended by most of the island's population.

Last updated 25 December 2005