Christmas and The Motor City

When I moved to Toronto, I became familiar with the Nutcracker, the Pantomine and the Messiah.  Growing up in Oshawa, we had the school concert and the play at the church.  The last I heard Oshawa has never had a proper concert hall.  The best we had was the auditorium at a local high school.

I was lucky enough to play the violin.  My teacher, Mr. Oscapella, made a point to get us to perform at many schools and churches as possible.  My other teacher, Mrs. Woodward, had a recital every Christmas.  This included cookies, squares and juice.

My mother was strict.  One year she made me go to a practice for a quintet before I went to a school dance.  Looking back I don’t regret it. 

The Christmas dance was full and big.  We had skits before the dance.  The hairdos and the outfits were amazing.

My parents tried to attend our concerts.  Being doctors they were often on call.  Mom’s beeper would go off in the middle of the concert and she would have to excuse herself.  No one said anything.  I wonder what ppeople do today.  One year I was at the back of the choir.  Mom still came to see me.

Plays at churches were inevitable.  They were usually about the nativity story.  One year the naughty boys were made the sheep.  In the middle of the play they started to make bah, bah noises like sheep.  The audience burst out laughing. 

Most people, even those in Canada, seem to have no idea where Oshawa is or if they do think of the city they see it as a city that makes cars.  When I was growing up I hardly ever thought of General Motors.  I do remember the shopping mall.  This mall was a little one that grew.  At Christmas I could buy almost anything for my ten plus relatives I had to shop for.  Sometimes there were even carol singers.