A spectacular celebration of Christmas brought holiday joy and spirit to the St. Margaret’s community this week, as many of the school’s annual holiday festivities united for a memorable night on Chalmers Field under the stars for all families.

 

More than 500 students took part in the unforgettable, magical evening, which brought together several cherished traditions of the Lower School, the Arts and the PTF--events that typically take place separately throughout the month of December.

 

The 43^rd Annual Lessons and Carols, an annual Lower School celebration of Christmas, was the centerpiece of the evening. Students in kindergarten – grade 5 sang carols, and read lessons and Bible passages, telling the story of Christmas from the steps of the Performing Arts Center, with hundreds of family, friends and loved ones watching from Chalmers Field on blankets and lawn chairs.

 

The Lessons and Carols service in the Anglican tradition celebrates the birth of Jesus in nine lessons and carols and has remained the same since the late 1800s. It was first celebrated at St. Margaret’s in December 1979, for the school’s first Christmas, and is one of the oldest traditions of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. Faculty emeritus Susan Remsberg, who started the program and ran it for 40 years until her retirement in 2019, attended Thursday’s event and was recognized by Head of School Will Moseley, who told the crowd “We are in the presence of Tartan royalty!”  

 

The Lower School performances were complemented by Middle School and Upper School students, including musical performances by the grade 6 and grade 7 concert bands, the Upper School jazz band, the Upper School choir, the grade 6 choir, the grade 7 choir, the Upper School orchestra, the Middle School orchestra, and the Middle School and Upper School concert bands.

 

Kicking off the evening was the annual PTF Tree Lighting Ceremony, another cherished school tradition where the 20-foot tall Christmas tree of the church and the school is lit up for the first time. Mr. Moseley and Santa Claus led the spirited countdown, and the tree looked its best for the rest of the evening’s activities.

 

The event was one of the largest gatherings in school history, and was a herculean effort involving all corners of the campus, from Director of the Arts Darcy Rice and his team to the Lower School, PTF, maintenance and facilities, security, school administration and more.

 

“Current times call for creativity and innovation to carry on these important traditions, and our students and professional community really put on an unforgettable show,” Mr. Moseley said. “It is always wonderful when our community is able to come together, and this was a special evening none of us will soon forget.”