As another December rolls around in Los Angeles, local Christmas Carolers, The Sleigh Belles, once again, warm up their voices in front of the fireplace as if winter is actually coming to Southern California this year. “We like to start off by singing Let It Snow, followed by Winter Wonderland, and White Christmas,” Margaret Molloy, lead Alto, said as she slipped on her winter boots to help her walk through the inches of deep snow she’d delusionally conjured up in her mind. “Those were real favorites back home, but for whatever reason, people don’t seem to really connect with them here.”
As 2nd Soprano, Janie Pyne, zipped up her down feather jacket, she said, “There’s nothing quite like singing Christmas carols while standing knee-deep in snow, huddled next to some of my favorite singers in Southern California for warmth.” She wiped away the visible sweat from her brow, expertly ignoring her true reality and stubbornly pushing her consciousness into her fantasy world in which California can experience the same magical holiday feelings felt throughout the rest of the country. “I hope all the snow doesn’t melt before Christmas!” she exclaimed.
“Try catching snowflakes on your tongue!” one of The Sleigh Belles shouted out as the group marched down the street, pathetically sticking their tongues out for nothing but the occasional speck of dust. A few stopped and jumped down on the ground, flailing their arms and legs back and forth to make snow angels. Though one could view their actions as charming for the first few seconds, as time stretched on, their harsh disconnect from our existing world became more and more painful to witness.
The Sleigh Belles never made it to their first house, as they were too distracted building snowmen out of nothing, sledding down dirt-covered hills, and throwing balls of psychosis-induced snow at each other. While tragic, their playfulness still offers a glimmer of hope to Angelenos who worry that they won’t have their magical Christmas celebration this year. Perhaps the spirit of a White Christmas isn’t a plane trip out east or up north. Perhaps the spirit of a White Christmas is only as far away as your own imagination.
As of press time, The Sleigh Belles are only the 7th group of Christmas carolers to suffer from this type of breakdown.
