The "12 Beers of Christmas"

This time of year, many local bars, taverns and brew pubs host their respective annual Christmas parties. No two are exactly alike, but they generally follow a familiar script. Patrons are invited to their drinking establishment on a specific date, served alcohol and food, maybe enjoying as well a holiday potluck menu thanks to some of the regulars and bar owner, and surrounded with sports on TV and music from a band or jukebox. Pure fun.

One fine tradition remains at the annual Lindy's Bar Christmas Party, which observed its festivities this day in North Columbus. This tradition is a bar sing-along of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and is done only once each year at this time. The details of how this becomes organized on-site must be protected so that its surprise may continue to delight unsuspecting Christmas Party attendees in future years. But suffice it to say, a bar full of beer guzzling nonprofessional singers and carolers can make for a fun rendition of a seasonal song that seems to be just a cut above the "12 Beers of Christmas".

On this special day, no one saw a partridge in a pear tree, but one guy said that he did observe a turkey buzzard feeding on some roadkill earlier in the day. Frank and his buddy at one corner of the bar had difficulty remembering the line "two turtle doves" and seemed to have no problem ordering two beers. "Three French hens" actually were three remaining pieces of pizza and they went nowhere. "Four calling birds" were the four people who were supposed to sing along and who instead went outside on the patio to smoke and forgot the whole sing-along had just started.

"Five golden rings" rang out strong from a bass-baritone-tenor combination of Susan, Brian, John and Bill (not in that order). "Six geese a laying" was an order of six Bud Lights for a table near the dartboard and they frequently forgot their part in the song. "Seven swans a swimming" also was lost among a group of beer drinkers more focused on watching a football game."Eight maids a milking came out in perfect harmony from Mary and two other singing cohorts who likely were the most sober of the bunch. "Nine ladies dancing" brought forth some drunken commentary from Mike sitting at the bar who thought there should be any number of ladies pole dancing in the bar. (Lindy's does not have pole dancers.)

"Ten lords a leaping, eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming" only had to be covered a couple times, so for those sing-along participants their task was simple. In the finest of holiday bar traditions and under the coordination of our unofficial musical director Renee - the Twelve Days of Christmas put seasonal song into each heart that was present today and perhaps again tickled the souls of those former bar patrons who are no longer present in our Earthly world.

Next year, maybe I'll share some notes on another fine seasonal Lindy's tradition -- it's all about those spoons with holes.