This year's The Canberra Times Carols by Candlelight will be particularly poignant for Evangeline Osborne, because it will be her last performance with the Woden Valley Youth Choir.
The 18-year-old has been singing with the choir for nine years.
"I joined the choir because I went to one of their performances a very long time ago, and I fell in love with the way they performed," Ms Osborne said.
"I've loved it ever since, it's been like a family to me."
So much so, Ms Osborne's sister Gwendolyn has followed in her footsteps, while her dad Paul is secretary of the committee.
Leftover proceeds from the event will be donated to Lifeline Canberra.
Ms Osborne's last performance on December 9 will be "sentimental".
"It's been a part of my life for a very long time and I always look forward to it every year," she said.
"It's always an exciting time of the year especially with Christmas and I feel really glad that I could be a part of it one last time."
The Carols by Candlelight event has run since 1945, with the first concert held in front of Old Parliament House in 1945, the group said.
It was nearly cancelled in 2022, until The Canberra Times became naming sponsor.
"The Canberra Times have been such great supporters of Woden Valley Youth Choir and I'm so grateful because without them I don't think we'd go ahead," Ms Osborne said.
Sponsoring the event was a real "Christmas gift", president Kylie Gibson said.
"We wouldn't have had a Carols event without The Canberra Times coming on board last year as the naming rights sponsor," she said.
"It was absolutely a lifesaver for us as a choir. We put the event on as a gift for the community but COVID made it very difficult to keep the event running with sponsorship harder to come by.
"Coming to the rescue as the naming rights sponsor was a wonderful Christmas gift, and it's a Christmas gift that they're doing it again this year."
The event planning begun at the beginning of the year, while the choristers have been practising jingles for 10 weeks.
"It's a lot of work, but when we see the kids and we see all the happy, smiling families that certainly makes the event worthwhile and all the hard work worthwhile," Ms Gibson said.
Carols bring joy to the community, Woden Valley Youth Choir artistic director Olivia Swift said.
"It's such a great even that brings everyone together," she said.
"It's a real pleasure being part of something that brings so much joy.
"The performers love looking out across the thousands in the audience with their candles glowing. It's a real buzz for everyone."
The concert will be held at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park on December 9 at 6pm.
