Christmas party time in schools

This Christmas week as the schools broke off, I was asked to do a short ‘end of term set’ at Kirkcaldy North PS which I was delighted to do playing hot hits and classic evergreens.

Head Teacher Emma invited me and when I arrived reminded me of my Fife Flyers nights and knowing her mum Tina. I would introduce the teams, host chuck-a-puck, conduct interviews, warm up with a disco, and play scorers jingles like Return Of The Mack (Mark Morrison) and Zombie (Andy Samuel).

The school discos were special though and these started as a follow on from playing Youth Club discos on a Tuesday at Viewforth HS to discos for the whole school for the end of term and Christmas Parties. In my time I did Balwearie (just once), St Andrews HS, Lochgelly High, Auchmuty, Glenwood, KHS but mainly Viewforth, which I did for nearly six decades.

For years my daytime job was at the old Viewforth, so it was easy to set up during the day then return in the evening for the lively mix of social dancing with MC PE teacher Bill McLellan, then the big set with the hits of the day.

I even broke the Guinness World Record (as fastest DJ) at Viewforth, but that is another story.

Bill of course was head of PE after a successful career in athletics and football and in the run up to the Festive break would teach all the Scottish social dances so the classes were ready for party night. A good sport too even when senior students decided to award him a custard pie live on stage. I knew it was coming and was ready with a camera in the days before mobile phones

We would conga, cha cha slide, and Time Warp as dance trends would change but can you imagine the elation, excitement, and festive joy to dance to Wizzard (I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday) and Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody when they were new and current back in 1973?

Reports say that Roy Wood from Wizzard still gets £200k annually as royalties for that song while Noddy Holder as co-writer of the bigger hit nets a reported £500k each year. The enthusiasm enjoyed in that year of 1973 has never been topped by any Christmas dance hit and of course this week more than ever listen to your radio, café, party night, retail store or school disco and they are still played over 50 years on.