Carols by Candlelight attendees share their favourite festive tunes.
Tamra CarrMidwest Times
David Braybrook and Donna Sanderson will be spending Christmas with family this year. Credit: Pictures: Tamra Carr, Tamra Carr, The Geraldton Guardian
After an estimated 3800 people packed Maitland Park in Geraldton for Carols by Candlelight, organiser Glenda Boys and her team were ready to tackle the clean-up.
However, they were faced with quite the surprise.
“The Sun City Youth group picked up all the rubbish,” Ms Boys said. “I was thinking, where did those young people come from?
“It was such a surprise to me.”
The kind gesture helped cap off a thrilling night for Ms Boys, who said Geraldton’s biggest carolling event was enjoyed by parents and children alike.
After months of planning an event to entertain a crowd of thousands, Ms Boys said the end result was simple: creating a feel-good atmosphere for the community.
“There’s always a feel-good element to singing aloud,” she explained. “It doesn’t matter if you sing out of tune.
“And, people sing all these old, familiar Christmas carols that they’ve heard all their lives.
“It’s just really good for you.”
Ms Boys favourite Christmas carol is Silent Night.
TheGeraldton Guardian attended Carols by Candlelight and asked event-goers what their favourite carols were, as well as what they were doing for Christmas and what they hope Santa Claus leaves under their Christmas tree.
Aayliyah Cassidy, 12, says her favourite carol is Jingle Bells. She's joined by Sarah Ramirez and Hazel Edwards who both like the song Silent Night. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianDiane Herbert's favourite Christmas carol is O Come, All Ye Faithful while Kath Millward enjoys the Australian version of Jingle Bells - in a rusty holden ute! Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianNatalie Parasiliti wants a house cleaner for Christmas. Her daughters, Josie and Stella Parasiliti want an Elsa dress from Disney movie Frozen and a toy pony with wheels. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianSally Williamson says Santa Claus has already given her a cruise for Christmas. Mikayla O'Brien, 13, wants a new phone and James O'Brien wants a trip to Oregon, USA. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianFreya Brand, 3, Jayde Curtis and Willow Brand, six months, will be having a family barbecue for Christmas. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianGeraldton Lions Club members Lynn Langwell, Julie Palmer, Tanya Skoglie, Paul Langwell and Tim Osborne. Their favourite Christmas tunes are all of them, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Feliz Navidad, Silent Night and "the reindeer fella." Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianJoel and Leizel MacLachlan, 19 months. Joel said he plans to spend Christmas sleeping. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianTony and Annette Moffat, with Talarah and Ernest Dorizzi. Tony's favourite Christmas carol is Silent Night while Annette likes Joy to the World. Talarah wants a unicorn for Christmas while Ernest wants a Nerf gun. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton Guardian
Johanna Box and Clare Muller. Johanna says she would like money from Santa Claus, while Clare will be having a traditional family Christmas this year. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianJodina Gallie's favourite Christmas song is It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Daughter Katelyn McEwan wants a pony named Bella. Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton GuardianAimy Jimmy would like a pet dog named Twinkle for Christmas, while brother Aidan would just like a toy. Their father Thomas Jimmy says his wife Juby will celebrate her birthday on Christmas Day. Happy Birthday Juby! Credit: Tamra Carr, The Geraldton Guardian
