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“Oh Holy Night” – A Children’s Wonderland and Tree Trimming Party at Prana by Ania Lené, photos by David Sand
Click here to view a photo slideshow from the Tree Trimming Party at Prana. It’s Sunday, December 5th, and I’m volunteering at Prana’s Service Day to decorate Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens for Christmas. From 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. we are having what could become another annual Christmas festivity -- the Children’s Wonderland -- in our new and spacious dining room. We are also preparing for Prana’s annual Tree Trimming Party which will begin at 4:00 p.m. The Children’s Wonderland is amazing. Many activities are taking place including: a storybook corner, various ornament crafts with a photo taken of the child and the ornament they make (and yes, even some of us big kids get to do one), a cooking area where children make no-bake fudge balls to later be served on the spectacular buffet spread in the formal dining and reception room. With all of this going on, you can barely hear a peep. Each child is enjoying their own project and their own brand of peace. I have to leave the kitchen, (my usual volunteer headquarters) to get a good look see. It reminds me of “and a child shall lead them.” The joyful contentment in the hearts of these children creates a silent, warm, floating energy of peace. The Holy Spirit sweeps through the entire dining room with Christmas glee. While I’m here, I order myself one of the finest lattés in Los Angeles made by our own Sylvia Giusanni. I return to the kitchen where us big kids like to have fun, sing, laugh and crack jokes. The kitchen is popping with things being diced, sliced, baked, cracked, smacked, whacked, well, you get the picture. As I patiently await my delicious latté, I make some fun radish flowers and sing along with the classic MSIA songs being piped in from the speakers in the ceiling of the new kitchen. Our French cooks, the Bottés, arrive with fruit tarts from Urth Café and proceed to finish preparing their own special desserts -- two huge bowls of authentic French chocolate mousse (Oh, my gosh!!), two of their L’Orange cakes, and a couple of chocolate dusted mousse cakes. Have you gone to heaven yet? There’s more -- as four o’clock approaches we pop all of the last minute food in the quick ovens: meatballs, Chicken Satay, three pineapples stuffed with fresh shrimp, four batches of bite sized quesadillas. We also have all of the best types of cookies and desserts laid out very elegantly on a festive Christmas array of red Poinsettias and assorted décor by Carol Jones. John Morton arrives promptly at 4:00 p.m. as Christmas Carols are being played and sung by Barbara Wieland and Angel Gibson. We are all called to gather by John and Kelly Forrister in the large seminar room to have the Light brought forward for the tree trimming festivities. We partake of the buffet as the tree trimming proceeds. It is not a surprise that everything is pretty much eaten in less than an hour even though we made food to spare for over 100 people. Folks just keep coming back for more. The tree trimming is very successful -- the tree is looks beautiful. We are once again hailed to call in the Light for the entertainment portion of the festivities. We are seated in Prana’s beautiful foyer. Kelly Forrister calls the Light forward for us all and then calls on our first contribution by the beautiful Jennifer Miller singing “Joy to the World.” We all chime in with her. The next performance is the children singing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” in a special rendition done the MSIA way, which delights our hearts. Next up is a wonderful piano solo by Karen Hassett doing an original piece of music. Next, the very witty and talented Gregory Vahanian sings and plays his guitar to an original Christmas song he wrote on his way Prana this day. We laugh at his unique way of delivering Spirit to us. Next we have Monica Lasky and her sister Aura Maria on guitar. Monica and Aura Maria have been delighting us with their heartfelt songs of love for years. They are indeed welcome. The rich tones of their voices and lilting songs seem to float from their mouths like the Light that is with them whenever they play. Just then, a loud thump, thump, thump, is heard above us at the top of the stairs. The sound of sleigh bells ring out! Could it be? Lo and behold Santa bellows down the stairs with a “Ho, ho, ho, and Merry Christmas.” The kids go wild and run to Santa to make their requests. Santa takes his seat while we finish the entertainment. Our next performer is introduced as the newly married Mark Blackburn. Mark is making his MSIA debut as a singer. We had no idea! Mark sang “Oh Holy Night.” Not a sound could be heard as Mark sang this beautiful song with sweet velvet in his voice. Next we hear from our beloved Marjorie Eaton who is playing “Silent Night” on the harp. On the second verse Kevin McMillan calls Spirit forward and asks everyone to look up as Wendy and Gabriella Vahanian come down the stairs with two candles lit, bringing in the Spirit of Christmas and both looking like angels. Kevin then asks all to gather in the large seminar room where the Christmas Tree dedication is about to take place. After we are all in our places around John, he begins a blessing that touches our hearts, and as he finishes the tree Lights up. We all clap our hands in celebration of this holy night with our MSIA family community. God Bless everyone, and to all a good night. |
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