LES PETITES CHANTEURS LEAD PARADE

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Patti S. Naeger always wanted to have a large family that sang together like in "The Sound of Music."

At various times, all of her six children have been members of Les Petites Chanteurs, the group she leads at festivals throughout the state. Three of them -- Xavier, Millie and 3-year-old Oliver -- currently are. "I don't know if this is a way of extending our family," she says.

Les Petites Chanteurs led the way Saturday when the Christmas Parade kicked off the historic French Colonial town's 13th annual Country Christmas Walk. Townspeople attributed the smallish crowd to the wintry temperature, which was 30 degrees during the parade.

The Ste. Genevieve High School Marching Band played "Jingle Bells," the Moolah Shrine provided daredevils in miniature race cars, the Girl Scouts sang songs and the World Bird Sanctuary was represented by a young woman in a bird costume.

Santa and Mrs. Claus rode on the back of a truck.

The Ste. Genevieve Art Guild's annual show and sale is a highlight of the Christmas Walk and continues today in the County Services Building. The sale offers 125 paintings by 15 different artists.

Attendance was smaller than usual Saturday. Member Janet Kraus blamed the cold weather. "They're usually just wearing sweatshirts," she said, referring to the browsers in heavy coats.

Those who did come appreciated the cookies and hot cider available to all.

The story was the same at businesses. Dalton's Treasure Chest owner Carl Dalton said business has been good this season but was slow Saturday.

"Last year they were lined up all the way around," he said of the sparsely peopled parade route.

Les Petites Chanteurs, who dress in late 18th century French costumes, didn't seem to mind the small audience but they did try to stay warm. Their performances were mostly limited to indoor sites like the Interpretive Center, the Art Guild show and the Orris Theatre.

Accompanied by Naeger on accordion and 12-string guitar, they sang traditional Christmas songs in French, German and English. Naeger took only a year of high school French but she checks tricky pronunciations with local foreign language teachers.

She credits junior college French teacher Clare Condon with organizing Les Petites Chanteurs nine years ago, but she has taken the idea in many new directions, including this year performing at festivals in Columbia, St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. She says the parents who come along and help out make all this possible.

Children aren't required to audition or to make all the practices and performances. "People in a small town have many other things going on," she says. "We're all connected to each other in some way."

The oldest Les Petites Chanteurs is 15-year-old Lindsey Rapp, who has been a member since its inception and sang a beautiful rendition of "O Holy Night" Saturday.

There is no maximum age for the "Little Singers." "She can stay in the group as long as she wants," Naeger says.

Les Petites Chanteurs were scheduled to perform at the town's tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Saturday. They also will perform at various locations in the historic district from noon to 3 p.m. today.

The Country Christmas Walk continues today. The schedule of events includes:

-- Handbell Choir of Ste Genevieve Catholic Church playing Christmas carols in the church, DuBourg Place, at 3 p.m.

-- Ste. Genevieve Wind Ensemble Christmas Concert at Ste.. Genevieve Catholic Church, 4 p.m.

-- Al Bedford, roving troubadour, performing in the historic district from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.