![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/Untitled-66-300x120.png\")
Samantha Attwood. Abbie Attwood and Samantha Attwood camped out on Mars
Stadium for the Ballarat Carols. Photos: CAROL SAFFER<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Half-an-hour earlier Soldiers Hill locals Debra Johnson, her daughter Leah Johnson, Letisha McCarthy and Steffani Kuhn arrived at the stadium as they always like to be front and centre.<\/p>\n
With foldup chairs, a rug, umbrella and plenty of home-made picnic food the women were well organised ready to, \u201cRock out to the songs,\u201d as Ms McCarthy put it.<\/p>\n
Mrs Johnson said, \u201cWe have been coming the Carol service for years as it was a family tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her daughter Ms Johnson said, \u201cIt is kind of cool being on the footy ground this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
While they all agreed that Little Drummer Boy is their favourite song, they said the best part of the night was when Santa arrived.<\/p>\n
Kardinia Church\u2019s campus pastor Shayne Westblade, one of the organisers of the event said, \u201cWe avoided the rain, it was a great night with over 2,800 people attending, who generously donated over $1800 to the 3BA Christmas Appeal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were so many people loving their family time together which made it such a fabulous event.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THREE generations of the Goldsmith family from Wendouree staked their claim to a patch of the Mars Stadium oval just before 6pm on Sunday for the Ballarat Carols. Matriarch Debbie Goldsmith said it was the family\u2019s second year attending the carol service because it\u2019s good Christmas fun. \u201cThe carols get us all into the Christmas […]<\/p>\n