Colin Thomson: Why my work at Christmas time is particularly important (BSL)

A BSL translation will appear on this article shortly, thanks to Signly. This has been pre-prepared and will be linked to the article shortly after publication. Please click on the signing hands icon at the bottom right side of the page to see it.

I have been performing signed songs to the public for 43 years now, two years before I started doing that I ran Christmas signed song workshops which people really enjoyed and encouraged me to continue. I have been providing Christmas signed song workshops and performances in the East Midlands alone for 28 years now. It’s a really popular time of year for not only the deaf community but also for BSL students too.

It was back in 1980 that I performed at Cliff Richards’ 50th birthday charity concert at the NEC in Birmingham. We were raising money for a charity that he was patron of and the British Deaf Association (BDA) asked us to perform Mistletoe and Wine to give something back to the deaf community. This performance was really well received and since then I’ve held a fundraising concert every year around Christmas time to help raise money for deaf children to attend a Summer Camp.

Sign songs can really have an impact on people at christmas time. And of course Christmas isn’t always a pleasant experience for deaf people, especially with the dinner table syndrome and feeling very lonely. It can often be a time for reflection. For some people taking part in signed songs can be really uplifting and a positive experience. One student said to me ‘it’s not Christmas until I’ve been to your workshop!’

I really enjoy working with children who have never signed before too, some deaf children don’t get the chance to learn to sign and just being on stage with me picking up the signs for White Christmas is a great experience for them.

Delivering these workshops and performances for the festive season really gets me in a good mood. The songs uplift me and remind me of what Christmas should be all about – love, laughter, joy, giving!

I was recently interviewed for a BBC See Hear Christmas special which will be broadcast on December 7th at 8am. I can’t give too much away about that, but do tune in. I was honoured to be involved in this.

I will also be hosting an event for Nottingham’s Deaf Society on Friday December 9th from 7-9pm so if you’re in the area, do come along. It’s a great opportunity to socialise and spread some Christmas spirit!

I am also really excited to announce that this years Christmas Sign Along will be returning at Woodlands School in Derby. This event used to be yearly until covid came along and then stopped due to a shortage of volunteers. It’s a wonderful fundraiser and I am so pleased it will be back this year on Tuesday 13th December. It’s a ticketed event which includes a free glass of wine or soft drink during the interval and I really hope it can continue to be an annual event.

I would finally just like to remind families who have deaf children that this time of year can be quite stressful and isolating for deaf people, please remember that its their Christmas too and they want to be part of the family with you. Please don’t leave them out. Learning a few signs to sign a song together can be a great way of connecting and reminding a deaf child that they matter.

I would like to end this with a poem I wrote about preventing isolation for deaf children and adults at Christmas. It’s called ‘the odd one out.’

So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Bought all your presents?
Your banks overrun

So Happy Christmas
I hope you have fun
Stock up on your batteries
For old and for young

Sitting at the table
Chatting away
Me, I’m not able
To understand what you say

Watch the TV now
While they’re having fun
Loads of repeats
No, I don’t mean my bum

So Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Let’s hope its a good one
Communicate clear

So please remember,
it’s my Christmas too
I want to feel part of
The family with you

So merry merry Christmas
Put a smile on my face
No, I don’t mean the presents
Just communicate

Not asking for ‘tell you laters’
Or achieve level three
All I am asking
Communicate with me

You can watch Colin sign this poem in BSL here

To attend any of the sign song events taking place across the Midlands this December please email Colin on colinthomson888@aol.com