A growing group of lakeside expats will start the holiday season and kick their seasonal spirit into high gear each year by attending the Club Ukulele de Laguna (CUL) “Fourth Annual Ukulele Christmas Singalong” on Monday, December 11, 4 p.m. at Restaurant Maria Isabel.
The annual Christmas Singalong is always fun. Christmas songs tend to lift the mood, regardless of your religious persuasion (or lack thereof),. Studies verify that singing is good for mental and physical health. Plus, there are no sad songs, played on the ukulele.
While there is no admission charge for the Singalong, CUL members will pass the hat to gather donations to benefit the group’s volunteer project, the Academia de Ukuleles de la Ribera. Instruments and professional instruction is offered free of charge for any lakeside child. Now in its fourth year, three Academia alumni are presently studying music at the university level in Guadalajara and 40 youngsters are in the weekly lessons.
Some of the kids from the youth program will appear at the Singalong to demonstrate what their lessons have taught them.
Non-singers, Scrooges and Grinches can enjoy the event while shaking the maracas, ringing bells or tooting on kazoos that will be on the tables. If that’s too much interaction, enjoy a cup of (no-host) cheer to support Maria Isabel, which donates the space for this annual event. Sing, hum, or whistle these favorite holiday tunes and your mood will be much better than when you arrived … and the kids in the academia will be ever-so-grateful for your support that helps to unlock a lifetime of musical enjoyment.