Spontaneity seems to be our theme this Christmas. None of the scheduling and planning that occurred last year and left me stressed out and disillusioned. This lack of pre-planning has some advantages.
For instance, when Sunday turns out to be wet and windy, you can snuggle up on the couch and spontaneously watch The Nativity Story - a wonderful Christmas movie starring NZ's Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary. Really, its a fab version of the Christmas story. A great way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.
After watching the movie, we were feeling all warm 'n' fuzzy, and in the mood for some more Christmas cheer.
So I txted my good friend Linda, the one whose hubby is the brains behind the most gorgeous Christmas video ever. I knew that tonight was the night of "Glow - Carols by Glowstick" - a Christmas event put on by their church {St Pauls}...
I'd heard reports of Glow being fab, but had always missed out on going in years gone by. When Linda txted back that she could get us some tickets, we were on.
We pulled on jackets and shoes and headed for Vector Arena, quick smart.
{Tickets are a mere $5 - with all proceeds going to A Girl Called Hope - a charity helping struggling young women.}
Here's Miss Fab posing for me as the arena fills up. As we entered we were all handed a glowstick on a string, and given instructions not to "snap them on" until The Countdown.
I managed to find this clip on YouTube which someone uploaded from last night - it will give you some idea of the coolness of the moment when the lights went out and the arena was lit up with 10,000 glowy glowsticks...
Magic. that's the only word I can use to describe that moment.
We wahooed and waved our glowsticks around, the atmosphere was electric.
What a wonderful event. It was Kiwi-style, no snow or reindeer in sight.
A children's choir, our national anthem, my favourite carols and all those glowsticks.
Plus the cutest Christmas video ever...
...and its {brand new} prequel...
We left positively glowing... emerging blinking into the light.
Confused, dazed... what? Is it still light out? Yep, that'll be the daylight saving.
Thankyou St Pauls, for putting on such a wonderful event for the whole family, full of the true Spirit of Christmas, honouring the birth of Jesus and filling up our hearts with a wonderful warm fuzzy Glow.
Listen, if you are in Auckland for Christmas next year, put "go to Glow" on your list of Christmassy Things To Do. It's on my list for sure. See you there.
♥
P.S. What is putting the warm fuzzy Christmas glow in your heart this year? Special Christmas Movies? Great local events? Heart-warming music? SHARE!
