The Baskin-Robbins near the train station was crowded last Wednesday night around 9:30 p.m.

If you happened to drive by or were in the mood for a little ice cream, you might have noticed all of the cars clogging the parking lot and the line inside was long—really long.

That's because Berry Hill, A.P. Willets, Walt Whitman and J. Irving Baylis Elementary Schools and had their winter concert performances that night.  Afterwards, most of the parents and kids from those schools piled into Baskin Robbins or Friendly's for a little "after hours" party. 

Our daughters, age 8 and 11, were in the J. Irving Baylis show held at H.B. Thompson Middle School.

It was Melanie's first year.  She waited a long time for this right of passage that third grade brings.  The world of music opens up for students at this age when they are allowed to select an instrument and join chorus.  She was ecstatic all through 2^nd grade in anticipation.

"I'm going to play the flute.  Maybe the French horn," she'd vacillate back and forth.

But when that glorious day to choose came late in June, Melanie selected the viola and even better, she wanted to sing and in September joined chorus.

All week, the kids were so excited and animated filled with popping energy.   The morning of, they had pre-show jitters and couldn't wait.

Our girls dressed in customary white sweater and black skirt (well Kelly wore the same matching sweater but black pants).

"Mommy, you can't play Cello in a skirt," Kelly reminded me as we shopped for the appropriate clothes a month ago.   "No heels either.  My teacher says no high heels on the sandals."

We arrived early at H. B. Thompson Middle School where Baylis renewed the tradition of holding the concert because of space constraints in Baylis' gymnasium.

Last year, we all suffered through while tightly squeezed into the gym, parents spilling out into the hallway, keeping cranky siblings occupied.   The complaints of not being able to see or hear anything where taken under consideration, I guess, and we were allotted a night at HBT once again.

It's much more comfortable and was filled with grandparents and loved ones waiting for some holiday cheer.  

We snagged great seats right in the middle as Kelly had earlier instructed us to, and waved to various parents of our children's friends who have now become our own friends, too.

Lisa Greiner, Baylis's new principal enthusiastically addressed the crowd commemorating her first winter concert.

The stage was an enchanting backdrop for the angelic child musicians, decorated with three-dimensional white swirling snowflakes that Ms. Deletrain, the art teacher, had created.

Joan Chiarello, orchestra director, swiftly took the stage in rhythmic step leading the 4 and 5^th grade orchestra through songs "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and others.

Rona Tauches and Allison Lasky guided their students through choral harmonies.

Music filled the auditorium with scrubbed up songs like "Hot Chocolate!," and "Jingle Bell Rock," or "Auld Lang Syne" taking religion out of the season to be fair.

As I looked at the boys and girls on the risers, and up on stage, I felt happy and proud.  Not just for my own children, but for many of our children's friends who looked both nervous, excited and all grown up at once.

These moments are so precious and pass quickly.  I wanted to freeze time and not let them melt away like snowflakes.

What took months to prepare—as in all the elementary schools throughout this season—in morning rehearsals once a week and extra practices during school, paid off.

All across Syosset, music played to the tune of the holidays!

After the show, at Baskin-Robbins, the girls gathered in one of the tables looking out the large pane window facing Underhill Blvd and ate "thirty-one bellows" filled with oreo cookies and vanilla ice cream.

Now it's the officially the holiday season, I thought.

I just wish the guys at Baskin-Robbins would read the school calendar next season for the spring concert and hire one extra person for that night.

Happy Holidays!