We attended Mass on Christmas morning this year, rather than on Christmas Eve, as we have many previous years. We are finding this to be much easier for us at this stage in our family with all the little ones.
We have our Christmas Eve festivities:
- Sprinkle the yard with Reindeer Dust
- Write letters to Santa
- Read Luke's account of Jesus' birth
- Read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
- Have a giant feast unlike anything else we eat all year
- Put out cookies and milk for Santa
- Track Santa on Norad radar
And since we do not do Mass on Christmas Eve now, we can go to bed. Well, some of us can. ;)
On Christmas morning, we get everyone up and dressed in their Christmas finery, and we shoo the kids out the door to church without letting them peek into the family room where all the gifts are located and the stockings are stuffed. This is no easy feat, mind you, and I'm not about to reveal here the bribery and threats that it takes to get these polished little children into the van without so much as peeking at the surprises under the tree.
After a beautiful Mass, we always take the children to the front of the church where they can view the Nativity Scene.
Going to Mass first and stopping to see Baby Jesus in the manger puts the whole day in the proper perspective, I believe.
Of course, once we arrive home, the kids can hardly be contained, but it's all good.
Below are some photos after Mass at Holy Redeemer.
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| Lucia and Marguerite (middle) with their friends, after Christmas morning Mass. |
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The Munchkins 7, after Christmas morning Mass.
(Why did I not pull down Lucia's dress?) |
