by Andrea Brett
Happy New Year everybody! Seriously, where did January go? I just turned around and it’s February. And my living room is proof that I lost an entire month. Christmas boxes are everywhere. Poinsettias are still on the mantel. Nativities are still on the shelves. The “oh, by gosh, by golly, it’s time for mistletoe and holly” pillow is still gracing the sofa. My only New Year’s resolution – “take Christmas down before February 1st” – down the drain again!
People often ask what we are doing with ourselves now that we are “only” performing Christmas shows. Well, let’s just say that January found us in Germany, Dallas, Tampa, St. Louis, Louisville, and even Crete, Nebraska. All business-related travel that we do our best to sprinkle with some fun. Only home long enough to do a batch of laundry and leave again. No time to put Christmas away! It’s been exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.
There are new things on the horizon for The Bretts. New music, new stories, new business ventures… It’s an exciting, busy, and scary season of change. As things develop and get more defined, we will fill you in on all the details, but here’s one teaser – after twenty-plus years, Tom is putting on his doctor hat again. More on that to come. More on lots of things to come.
Before we get too far into 2019, I want to take the opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who helped to make our Christmas season in Branson one of our very best and most gratifying ever. Those six weeks on stage went by so quickly, just like we knew they would. We tried to enjoy and savor each day. It was pretty special to sing with Briahna’s children for the first time ever. It made me smile and cry a happy tear every single day. There are moments in our Christmas show that are very special to me, and whenever I had the chance, I would sneak out into the theater to watch as if I was in the audience. I loved to watch Briahna as she danced to the video of Garon singing his “Cocoa” song. I know I’m her mom, but her dancing was truly beautiful. I loved hearing and watching the band do their virtuosic “thang.” Who knew Frosty the Snowmancould sound like that? Each day, at the end of our patriotic set, as Tom belted out that high A, singing, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” I would get chills, and I couldn’t help but feel how lucky I was to have married that voice. Each day, when I listened in the wings as Brydon recited, “and there were in that same country, shepherds…keeping watch o’er their flocks by night…” I would get a lump in my throat. And each day, during our final number, as we all stepped forward on a dramatic key change, to sing, “fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices,” I felt the presence of my mom and dad – my biggest fans – watching proudly from heaven. I felt like angels were singing with us, and I thrilled at the Christmas message that abides so deeply in my heart. This wasn’t just a show for me, or for our family. It was an opportunity to daily and publicly sing praise for the Christ in Christmas. What a privilege!
Thank you to all who came and supported us. Thank you for allowing us to share ourselves with you for the past twenty years! You have made our lives richer. I’m looking forward to seeing you all again for A Brett Family Christmas 2019. It’s going to be great to gather again, and if the year is anything like this January, it will be here in a blink! Maybe I should have just left my Christmas decorations up!!
Andrea Brett
P.S. Since this is February, it just wouldn’t seem right to sign off without wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day, and leaving you with a favorite “love” quote:
Just in case you have forgotten today:
You matter.
You are worthy.
You are magical.
You are loved.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
