Christmas is here!

From the church at Shepherds Fields Bethlehem
Christmas Eve hoovered the whole house! Set the table and put up the cards - not as many as last year I think. Some very interesting letters included! Watched Christmas QI and set off for Coulsdon for 2 crib services 4 and 5 p.m. This meant I only heard the start of King's carols. Liz went to Vespers and Vigil Mass at the cathedral. The services went well and we gave out lots of the Coulsdon CDs for free. People seemed pleased and I spoke to lady from Purley who was delighted. Also met the bride for the wedding blessing in May. I picked up Dennis and Ann Marie at Coulsdon South - they flew into Gatwick. Watched some of King's on TV and then had a short sleep on the bed. The Midnight Mass went well especially the Haydn Mass. I thought some of the carols beforehand went a little sharp. John brought Nicole to sing - she just stopped coming this year with no explanation! One person was late for the warm-up so I commented on the importance of being on time. Several times I asked people not to talk. We had to add some carols and Angels from the realms (suggested by Jenny) did not go well. Ding dong was OK. We sang verse 1 of "In the bleak" at the start. I played John Cook's Paean on Divinum mysterium. The voluntaries on Silent night and Away in a manger have proved useful once again. I was home by 1 p.m. and Bruce came in later (he came over on his bike). He had been to St John's. Liz had come home for a while before driving to midnight at the cathedral in the hired Astra. She reported that Fr Mark was there for Christmas. I woke at 4.15 a.m. and eventually got up at 5.30 to do my readings.