The performance of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo is always on TV on New Year’s Day in Australia
Last night I watched the 2017 Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance. I always enjoy this – perhaps one day I will get to go in person. In the meantime, it is always on television on January 1st.
It was a tremendous show, and I know from communicating with my friends on Facebook that many of us enjoy it.
This year, as with the past few years I have not attended a New Year’s Eve Party – and am not necessarily disappointed about that. I fear I won’t stay awake until the obligatory midnight! Just watching the Military Tattoo makes me feel that I am celebrating the New Year, and if I have a glass of wine I can toast to the incoming year! I wonder if people still sing Auld Lang Syne at the end of the night’s festivities?
Watching the brass bands brings back many memories for me. When the National Anthem was played, it reminded me that we used to sing God Save the Queen every morning before school at assembly. If one went to the movies, always the audience would stand for the National Anthem. In those days it was “God Save the Queen”. The same was sung before performances and at the beginning of any formal event.
Australia’s National Anthem, Advance Australia Fair came into use in April 1984, but as far as I can remember, it was not played at the beginning of performances or movies.
The Amazing Brass Bands
I loved marching to brass bands too – and did so on quite a few occasions, particularly when I was a Brownie and Girl Guide, at the regular Thinking Day events in Government House on North Terrace, Adelaide.
We’d start at the Army grounds behind Government House, and were pushed into lines. We then marched as best we could following the brass band into the grounds of Government House. It was on this day that special awards were presented, to both Girl Guides and Boy Scouts as they were known then. In 1960, I was one of those presented with the Queens Guide Award. I proudly marched on that day!
The Tattoo was a tremendous show, and I know from communicating with my friends on Facebook that many of us enjoy it.
Photo from Unsplash.com Photographer Chris Bair
Listen to Auld Lang Syne here.
It was good to hear the God Save the Queen, and Auld Lang Syne last night. Thank you all those involved in the 2017 Military Tattoo performance. I’m looking forward to the next performance.
