THERE is always a special moment at this annual event, when children from the audience join Santa on stage and sing Away in a Manger. This year just a few children went forward, including one dressed, she said, as a princess, but Santa thought she was an angel, and the children sang so beautifully that members of the choir, and audience (me included) had to reach for our hankies.

The programme included songs for the choir, including the glorious Schneewalzer which had most of the audience swaying, many carols for the audience to join in, and some wonderful solos.

I am putting in my request early - will Mary Sinclair please sing The Three Kings again next year? Her performance, backed by the choir, was brilliant.

Jonathan Darby enacted an excerpt from the one-man play Jesus, My Boy, which he performed to great acclaim a couple of years ago. He chose the section surrounding the nativity, of course, when Joseph is overcome with wonder at the sight of that new baby, but doubts the intelligence of the "Wise" men, as the gifts they brought were hardly of use to an infant!

The 12 Days of Christmas, under the direction of Robin McMillan, was more chaotic than usual, but was followed by the sublime I wonder as I wander, sung by MD Judith Standing.

Another particular highlight was The Shepherd's Farewell by Berlioz, a favourite of mine, sung beautifully by the ensemble.

Tim Hackett, who was MD for a short time, played flute solos, but his Christmas selection could have been called "Music to go to sleep by" - not lively enough.

Otherwise, a super concert, and I'm looking forward to next year's. VJS