I will be spending Christmas morning with the immediate family and then the afternoon will be spend with my wife’s family.
I doubt that my sister and father and I will ever celebrate Christmas together this side of the Eschaton (at which point it will be moot). My sister is married to a priest, my dad is a priest and I am a deacon – it seems we are all busy around Christmas time for some reason or another.
I and my family went to the midnight service last night with my parents to their small church, high in the hills of the West Country of England. Packed to the brim with people of all ages, it was a very traditional Eucharist with lots of carols. Today, I am just waiting for the feasting to begin, having opened all my presents.
For the first time since 1974, my wife and I are spending Christmas alone with one another, our grown children all either having other family obligations or not able to travel because of work. It’s strange … and a little scary … but also kind of sweet.
My wife and I are spending a quiet Christmas at home. My daughter and her two children will join us for a pork roast dinner. The sun is shining, the temperature is in the low 30s, the ground is bare, all is quiet save for the Mormon Tabernacle choir singing Christmas carols, and Della and I had a good night’s sleep. The Christmas eve services went well – were well-attended – and all the frenzied activity, the anxieties and irritations quickly faded with the singing of O Come All Ye Faithful. And God is good.
Dinner in a few minutes with our daughter, son-in-law, and their three adult children. The baby — 21 –received an engagement ring last night! We conducted services at our mission church and seated 130 for a sit down feast which I prepare as my gift to the congregation. Dinner today is steaks — roasted sweet potatoes — squash (more cheese than squash) casserole — sesame seed green beans — yeast rolls and chocolate pound cake and fresh coconut cake for dessert. Hubby and I did not give each other gifts this year as we plan a “big” late spring trip and saving up $$$. Our other three children (and spouses and 8 more grandchildren ages 11 months to 15) live in other cities and we see them throughout the holiday season. Have a blessed day everyone!
The in-laws are here with us, and of course we had Christmas Eve Services yesterday (Children’s Pageant at 4, Primary service at 8:30).
This morning we had Low Mass with Hymns at 11am.
Pageant Videos are posted http://www.youtube.com/user/stjohnspriest
and other videos of the Solemn High Mass will be posted later today
It’s just my son and I this year in my humble home. He had to work straight through Christmas Eve and came home last evening. Heh, I went on my “12 Days of Prednisone” so I had the strength to decorate and bake — it was all worth it to see his eyes light up and a big smile brighten his face when he walked in the door. With school and work, he said he had been too busy to settle into the Christmas spirit but all of the joy, excitement, and love came over him when he saw how lovely the house looked and felt my big hug!
We went to the 11 p.m. service and it was beautiful, as usual. How nice to have everything done and settle into the peace and beauty of the beginning of the Christmas season! Son is still asleep, resting up after retail hell, his trip to Dallas to deliver his girlfriend to her parents’ home and then the trip here. We’ll all get together in the New Year. I spent hours yesterday on the homemade sauce and meatballs and am fixing to start making the dough for homemade gnocchi.
Last night at Midnight Mass I sang “Stille Nacht,” using the original score by Franz Gruber and written for Father Mohr’s guitar, since i’m a guitarist. Those in the know about this carol know that it is somewhat different than the version we’re used to, and it’s truly beautiful. Today, my wife and I are spending precious time together, and she’s preparing a Christmas Ham dinner with all of the trimmings!
Just got up from the dinner table (Standing Rib Roast; Yorkshire pudding and gravy; dill green bean & heese casserole; etc.).
Spent the day at home, just the four of us, opened presents in the morning AFTER breakfast, then off to Christmas Day service at St. Peter’s, the rest of the day watching our new DVDs and preparing for dinner.
Recuperating after services with 600+ in attendance, thanking God for faithful lay people and my trusty assistant whose help is definitely a blessing. About to have a blessed dinner provided by my parents from several hundred miles away and listening to the children play with their new toys and leaving for some much needed rest tomorrow.
I’m grateful for the Christmas greetings from friends far and wide, those known to me in person and those befriended over the internet. Merry Christmastide to all!
Midnight Mass at Church of the Advent, San Francisco, big potluck spread afterwards. Lots of rain, and snow nearby, breakfast with, sister, brother & sister-in-law, & dinner later, different this year, fresh crab instead of turkey or roast. No offspring with us this year because of other commitments. Peace to All.
N y son came home, we practiced a little, and then on Christmas Eve, at Lessons and Carols, we sang a duet, While Shepherds Watched….
To sing again with my son! There is a joy in this for which English has no words. Earlier I wrote what I thought of Lessons and Carols, how important this tradition is to me, so this stacked light upn light. We were, Christmas Eve, essentially the choir. Attendance was poor because snow had turned to sleet and freezing rain, something Maine does with surpassiing skill. BUt this did not alter the joy of the singing.
Christmas Day was, this year, almost no presents, because we are broke, but we has roast beast and risole potatoes and yorkshire pudding and chocolate roll filled with whipped cream, all forbidden to someone with a bad heart. But some risks you take anyway. I found for my son, quite by accident, two books all literate people absolutely need: The Rockwell Kent illustrated “Moby Dick” and the Arthur Rackham “Wind in the Willows.” I know some of you have these books on your shelves and value them as I do.
And eleven days from now, the sun will rise one minute earlier.
for those of us in the Cold World, the promise of Epiphany. Larry
For all of you whom I have offended on this blog, I beg your forgiveness and I promise that I will make every effort to be more careful and responsible. Larry
Larry,
Thank you. That means a lot and I, for one, accept you apology. Even though discussions get heated, and we disagree often, I hope you know that I have never taken anything you say as intending offense, but rather an impassioned defense of your ideals and beliefs. (And you and I agree often, too!)
And that’s a good idea, let me borrow it, and ask forgiveness of any whom I may have offended in MY impassioned defense of my ideals and beliefs as well.
I will be spending Christmas morning with the immediate family and then the afternoon will be spend with my wife’s family.
I doubt that my sister and father and I will ever celebrate Christmas together this side of the Eschaton (at which point it will be moot). My sister is married to a priest, my dad is a priest and I am a deacon – it seems we are all busy around Christmas time for some reason or another.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
I and my family went to the midnight service last night with my parents to their small church, high in the hills of the West Country of England. Packed to the brim with people of all ages, it was a very traditional Eucharist with lots of carols. Today, I am just waiting for the feasting to begin, having opened all my presents.
For the first time since 1974, my wife and I are spending Christmas alone with one another, our grown children all either having other family obligations or not able to travel because of work. It’s strange … and a little scary … but also kind of sweet.
My wife and I are spending a quiet Christmas at home. My daughter and her two children will join us for a pork roast dinner. The sun is shining, the temperature is in the low 30s, the ground is bare, all is quiet save for the Mormon Tabernacle choir singing Christmas carols, and Della and I had a good night’s sleep. The Christmas eve services went well – were well-attended – and all the frenzied activity, the anxieties and irritations quickly faded with the singing of O Come All Ye Faithful. And God is good.
Dinner in a few minutes with our daughter, son-in-law, and their three adult children. The baby — 21 –received an engagement ring last night! We conducted services at our mission church and seated 130 for a sit down feast which I prepare as my gift to the congregation. Dinner today is steaks — roasted sweet potatoes — squash (more cheese than squash) casserole — sesame seed green beans — yeast rolls and chocolate pound cake and fresh coconut cake for dessert. Hubby and I did not give each other gifts this year as we plan a “big” late spring trip and saving up $$$. Our other three children (and spouses and 8 more grandchildren ages 11 months to 15) live in other cities and we see them throughout the holiday season. Have a blessed day everyone!
The in-laws are here with us, and of course we had Christmas Eve Services yesterday (Children’s Pageant at 4, Primary service at 8:30).
This morning we had Low Mass with Hymns at 11am.
Pageant Videos are posted
http://www.youtube.com/user/stjohnspriest
and other videos of the Solemn High Mass will be posted later today
It’s just my son and I this year in my humble home. He had to work straight through Christmas Eve and came home last evening. Heh, I went on my “12 Days of Prednisone” so I had the strength to decorate and bake — it was all worth it to see his eyes light up and a big smile brighten his face when he walked in the door. With school and work, he said he had been too busy to settle into the Christmas spirit but all of the joy, excitement, and love came over him when he saw how lovely the house looked and felt my big hug!
We went to the 11 p.m. service and it was beautiful, as usual. How nice to have everything done and settle into the peace and beauty of the beginning of the Christmas season! Son is still asleep, resting up after retail hell, his trip to Dallas to deliver his girlfriend to her parents’ home and then the trip here. We’ll all get together in the New Year. I spent hours yesterday on the homemade sauce and meatballs and am fixing to start making the dough for homemade gnocchi.
A blessed and happy Christmas to all!
Last night at Midnight Mass I sang “Stille Nacht,” using the original score by Franz Gruber and written for Father Mohr’s guitar, since i’m a guitarist. Those in the know about this carol know that it is somewhat different than the version we’re used to, and it’s truly beautiful. Today, my wife and I are spending precious time together, and she’s preparing a Christmas Ham dinner with all of the trimmings!
Just got up from the dinner table (Standing Rib Roast; Yorkshire pudding and gravy; dill green bean & heese casserole; etc.).
Spent the day at home, just the four of us, opened presents in the morning AFTER breakfast, then off to Christmas Day service at St. Peter’s, the rest of the day watching our new DVDs and preparing for dinner.
Now just ‘vegging’ with more DVD watching.
Merry Christmas!
Jim Elliott <>< Florida
Recuperating after services with 600+ in attendance, thanking God for faithful lay people and my trusty assistant whose help is definitely a blessing. About to have a blessed dinner provided by my parents from several hundred miles away and listening to the children play with their new toys and leaving for some much needed rest tomorrow.
I’m grateful for the Christmas greetings from friends far and wide, those known to me in person and those befriended over the internet. Merry Christmastide to all!
And Merry Christmastide to YOU, too, Alice!
Midnight Mass at Church of the Advent, San Francisco, big potluck spread afterwards. Lots of rain, and snow nearby, breakfast with, sister, brother & sister-in-law, & dinner later, different this year, fresh crab instead of turkey or roast. No offspring with us this year because of other commitments. Peace to All.
N y son came home, we practiced a little, and then on Christmas Eve, at Lessons and Carols, we sang a duet, While Shepherds Watched….
To sing again with my son! There is a joy in this for which English has no words. Earlier I wrote what I thought of Lessons and Carols, how important this tradition is to me, so this stacked light upn light. We were, Christmas Eve, essentially the choir. Attendance was poor because snow had turned to sleet and freezing rain, something Maine does with surpassiing skill. BUt this did not alter the joy of the singing.
Christmas Day was, this year, almost no presents, because we are broke, but we has roast beast and risole potatoes and yorkshire pudding and chocolate roll filled with whipped cream, all forbidden to someone with a bad heart. But some risks you take anyway. I found for my son, quite by accident, two books all literate people absolutely need: The Rockwell Kent illustrated “Moby Dick” and the Arthur Rackham “Wind in the Willows.” I know some of you have these books on your shelves and value them as I do.
And eleven days from now, the sun will rise one minute earlier.
for those of us in the Cold World, the promise of Epiphany. Larry
For all of you whom I have offended on this blog, I beg your forgiveness and I promise that I will make every effort to be more careful and responsible. Larry
Larry,
Thank you. That means a lot and I, for one, accept you apology. Even though discussions get heated, and we disagree often, I hope you know that I have never taken anything you say as intending offense, but rather an impassioned defense of your ideals and beliefs. (And you and I agree often, too!)
And that’s a good idea, let me borrow it, and ask forgiveness of any whom I may have offended in MY impassioned defense of my ideals and beliefs as well.
Happy second day of Christmas
Jim Elliott <>< Florida