Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
St. Petersburg, FL – December 6, 2024 — With tenderness and elegance, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay delivered a heartfelt rendition of Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin’s classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, arranged by Mark Hayes, during their annual holiday concert “Slay Bells”, held at Allendale United Methodist Church. Amid a program filled with humor, spectacle, and festive cheer, this quietly powerful performance stood out as a moment of genuine emotional resonance.
Hayes’s arrangement brought new richness to the beloved standard, layering warm harmonies and subtle modulations that deepened its bittersweet message. The chorus embraced the piece’s delicate balance of nostalgia and hope with remarkable sensitivity. Their voices rose and fell with gentle dynamics, each phrase carefully shaped to highlight the song’s comforting message of connection, even in times of uncertainty.
Sung with restrained beauty and clear affection for the music, the performance was less about showmanship and more about shared feeling. The ensemble’s unified tone and expressive phrasing created an atmosphere of intimacy in the spacious sanctuary, inviting the audience to lean in and reflect. The familiar lyrics—“Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow…”—took on renewed meaning in the context of community, chosen family, and resilience.
The choice to include this song in “Slay Bells”, a concert known for its high-energy camp and joyful exuberance, demonstrated the chorus’s versatility and emotional range. Here, they stepped back from the glitter and laughter to offer something quieter—something that spoke not just to the spirit of the holidays, but to the deeper human longing for comfort, togetherness, and peace.
Audience members sat in stillness as the final chord gently faded, a collective hush lingering before warm, sustained applause filled the space. For many, it was a deeply personal highlight—an affirmation that holiday magic doesn’t always sparkle; sometimes, it simply soothes.
With “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay reminded everyone that amid the festivities, there’s room for sincerity, reflection, and the kind of music that quietly holds you close. It was a performance as tender as the season itself—and one that lingered long after the lights dimmed.