The Singing Christmas Tree

For the past few years Mr. Scottie Dog and I have gone to Sacramento in December to see a performance of The Singing Christmas Tree. Capital Christian Center has been doing this for 52 years! They expect 30,000 people this year!!! That's right....30,000! I think their auditorium seats about 2300 people and it's been full every time I've gone.

I worked at Scottie Dog Quilts in the morning on Saturday and we left for Redding. Driving through the Trinity alps, we saw a bit of snow in the dark-where-the-sun-never-shines corners along side of the mountains, but mostly it was the magnificent evergreens.....redwoods, firs & pines. As we passed Whiskeytown Lake the madrone and manzanita appear and we are suddenly in Redding...the dry Central Valley of N. CA. We did some shopping at the "big" stores we don't have in Eureka, ate some dinner and spent the night. It was a beautiful, clear night and on the way back to the hotel we glimpsed a residential street with houses all decked out for the holidays.

The entire neighborhood was lit up and decorated like some Chevy Chase Christmas movie, each trying to outdo the neighbors. My pics don't even begin to do it justice, but here's one anyway.

We left Redding at 7 am in terrible fog. The freeway to Sacramento (2 1/2 hours away) is set at 70 mph speed limit...but with the deep valley fog it took us a "bit" longer. Mr. Scottie Dog is a good driver and I read a book the entire way. We arrived in Sacramento just as our good friends, Mark & Hilda Waters and family were leaving for Brunch so we tagged along (and of course, ate a fabulous brunch!). We had been invited to stay in their lovely villa in the guest suite. Hilda certainly knows how to decorate! Her style is evident in every nook and cranny of their home. We slept in the 4-Poster bed--check out this great leopard chair!

Bill and Mark were soon out of the house doing "boy stuff." The ladies chatted, Hilda put the finishing touches on their 16' Christmas tree and then at 4 pm we all had tea....and the most decadent chocolate cake. Ummmm, ummmm.
Then we all dressed for our evening. Two of the family's adult daughters have been in the show for several years, but not this time so we were all going to get to sit together and enjoy the production. The Singing Christmas Tree is a professional production. You won't see anything better on Broadway. It's THAT good. There are over 200 singers, dancers, actors & musicians every year and an additional 300+ people who build sets, run the cameras, lights & sound. There are wonderful ushers, greeters, people who do make-up, sew costumes and so very much more. Work on next year's production has already started. We saw this cute little poppet just before we went in. Her "ball" hat actually had an 18" curly gold spangle on top....she wasn't IN the show, merely ATTENDING the show!

The large spacious Church foyer is all decorated up too. There were jazz musicians playing beforehand in the church "cafe" area.

They have several Christmas tree "areas" where many families were having their annual holiday pictures taken. So we posed too.

Last week was Advent Tea and The Singing Christmas Tree. Christmas can come...my heart is prepared!

You can see last year's production in about 4 minutes! It's fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12MHUScgzcI

Christmas Blessings to you all!