Friends Select’s annual Holiday Sing is taking place this Friday at the Race Street Meeting House. The sing-along will be held at 2 pm, and all students are invited to participate.
In recent years, the Holiday Sing has seen some shakeups. COVID-19 presented many challenges, first with the impossible task of safely distancing 500 people in the Race Street Meeting House, but also concerns of increased spread associated with singing. Last year’s Holiday Sing was untraditional, with Lower School students having a separate event in the Blauvelt Theatre.
This year, however, will be a full return to form. “The great news is that we will have our traditional, everyone-in-the-meetinghouse Holiday Sing this year,” said Colleen Law, the Chair of the Music Department. This year’s Sing will feature the same line-up of songs as past years, including more recent additions such as “O Kwanza.”
The Holiday Sing has roots nearly a century old and came to exist in its current state around 30 years ago. The Sing is a tradition that grows with students as they move through the divisions. Max Andrews ‘24, who has been at Friends Select since Pre-K, reflected on his Holiday Sing experiences. “I remember in Lower School, my parents would come with me, but now it’s more about hanging out with friends,” said Max. These changes bring freedom and an increased social element to the Sing.
The Holiday Sing is not just for long-time students, however. Despite coming to Friends Select in Middle School, Nora Colgan ‘25 has a deep appreciation for the Sing. “It’s a good way to end the year and… come together as a community,” said Nora. “It’s so cute.”
If students choose not to attend the Holiday Sing, they must either go to class or the Upper School hallways.
