Christmas Eve after midnight

[ailbhe]

Midnight Mass, C of E style

The local C of E church had a midnight mass at midnight, and it's a pretty building, so we went.

Wow, those guys are religious! I mean, I was brought up Irish Roman Catholic, and I have never seen pomp and piety like these guys did it. The incense permeated the church and our larynxes, which made singing a little difficult; my voice dropped a register during the service. They chanted or badly sang the first reading. They put their hats on, they took their hats off. It took 90 minutes. Communion was brief, though. The congregation was at least 25 strong, and only 6 went for communion.

We sang carols though, and there was a great sermon about how Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and Narnia are all basically about Good and Love and things, and that their message - now showing at a cinema near YOU - was important to all humanity and things. Er, there was a bit about Jesus, too. And things.

Two priests shook hands with us on our way out. We felt very churched, and thoroughly religionned.

Santa Claus

We (me and Niamh) sent Rob and Janice to bed and then we got ready to Be Santa. We had the stockings all ready (Niamh and I have red stockings with teddy bear heads at the tops, and Rob and Janice had the green ones Mum made ages ago. The cat's one was a little one from Niamh's Christmas in Cork, so lots of sentimental value was lying around looking like goodie-bags) and the gifts in various plastic bags - mostly wrapped gifts, this year, to make secrecy easier.

First we did Rob's and Janice's and the cat's stockings, and then we split up to do each other's. Then we bounced up and down a bit and squealed in excitement and hugged and it was lovely. For the first time in ages, Christmas was really exciting. Then I found Niamh a book and a candle to read it by, and left her to sleep on the inflatable bed in the dining room (Janice was in the spare room for Christmas).

Then I went to bed and inflicted cold feet on Rob's warm shins.