Does anyone go to Midnight Mass?

I used to love Midnight Mass, and we were part of the merry gang that would roll up the road from our packed local. Now our local’s on its last legs and Midnight Mass didn’t happen last year. I’m hoping that was just a one off. If it’s on again we’ll definitely attend.

I was brought up by Irish Catholic parents. We had religion rammed down our throats and were always forced to go to mass. When I got to about 13, me and my friend used to go to midnight mass as it was exciting to be out that late and to listen to drunken men hammering on the church door demanding to be let in. I am no longer religious.

Our Midnight Mass has been at 9pm for quite a few years. Its a compromise to suit elderly parishioners, and elderly priests! My sisters and I will be going. We are travelling to see DGC on Christmas day. There are Carols before and during the Mass. The youngest altar server carries Baby Jesus to the crib.
I remember going to 'real' Midnight Mass as a youngster, to sing in the choir. Our Mum would send us to bed after dinner and wake us later. It felt magical and exciting to be out so late in adult company. Although we all wished each other Happy Christmas after Mass, we weren't allowed to open any presents on our return home, it was back to bed and wait until Christmas morning!

We will have a Midnight Mass in the Cathedral, have to get there really early to get a seat. The time has moved to 11.00 pm instead of 11.30 pm so we wish each other Happy Christmas as we go out, rather than during the peace. I have been going for many decades. On one occasion, driving home on my own full of the Christmas spirit, it was snowing and I stopped to offer a lift to the long blonde haired figure stuggling against the wind. Imagine my horror when the 'girl' turned out to be a man! But I had stopped, so I drove him home way out of my way, and he was very grateful!

I went to my first midnight mass when I was ten. It made Christmas so special and taught me that Christmas isn't all about shopping and eating!

I can't imagine Christmas without mass- whatever time. I spend the festivities with my family and going to Christmas mass with my grandchilden is the most important thing for me still.

Christus natus est.

I live in a large rural parish and when Midnight mass was moved from midnight to 8.00pm, the congregation nearly doubled.

This was 25 years ago.

I’ve often meant to go, but have always felt too tired when it came to the point, or else was still frantically wrapping presents! I’m a lot more organised now, but haven’t even thought of going for quite a while.

I absolutely can’t miss King’s College on Christmas Eve, though.

I always try to go to Midnight Mass.It is one of the highlights of Christmas and to me what it is all about.

As I have done for the past seven years, I shall be going to Gloucester Cathedral's service. I think many of the churches around will also have services but the Cathedral is my "home" church.

I go
I lived in a small village in Scotland and we were between 20 and 30 on a normal Sunday mass - and needed the heating running with Scotland's temperatures. We never skipped Midnight Mass.
I currently live in Texas and the church here is full - so much so that they had to build a new church as the old one was too small to accommodate everyone.

We do and have do so since we got married. We also go to a local churches Kris Kringle service with the local school children

Not been since my teens. Why would I, I’m a non-believer.
Having said that, the theatricality of religion is enticing…particularly Catholicism, and particularly at Christmas!

If I had a car, or any friends willing to take me, I assuredly would go to Midnight Mass, but I live 7 km away from the nearest Catholic church and no buses run that late on Christmas Eve. So I shall have to make do with the 11 o' clock mass on Christmas Day.

Our Catholic Church has not done midnight mass for about 4 years. The mass is done for 8p.m. on Christmas Eve. Also they used to put on a children's play before the mass but due to less and less people in attendance they stopped doing it. I used to enjoy it but everything changes.

Cateq, is Kris Kingle an American service? I thought it was a name for Santa Claus?
Churches in the UK may have a Christingle Service, where each child receives a specially prepared orange, a symbol of the world, and all the decorations have Christian symbolism too, with the red ribbon representing the blood of Christ. They are normally very well attended, and are held across a range of dates, not just on Christmas Eve.

Our church is having a midnight Mass if we can encourage a vicar to come to do the service, as our Priest in charge is too busy elsewhere to do it at our church. Having said that, I’ve not attended midnight Mass for many years, preferring to go Christmas morning, as I really don’t like going out late at night.

Not all Catholic Churches offer midnight Mass, either. A family member has said that their Priest changed it to late afternoon because many people preferred that.

My guess is that it probably depends where the church is and also how large and what age the congregation is.

Do you mean Christingle Cateq?

Our church have one but I'm usually away with family by then. Last year I visited my DD in Dubai for Christmas, and her church weren't having a service, but one of her colleagues invited us to her church. It was packed out - a very big building too - and we struggled to find somewhere to park nearby. The service went on until afte 1.00 am and there were children there, some of whom fell asleep. There was a roman catholic church nearby and that was pretty busy too hence the difficulty parking.

Yes we attend.

Madmeg

I'm a Catholic and when old enough we always went to Midnight Mass. One of the lads in my primary class had older brothers and the local Trades Hall (a drinking establishment with a dubious clientele) was next to the Church.

At midnight, the drinking club would empty and my friend's Catholic brothers and all their drinking pals would pile into the church and loudly sing all the hymns and carols, before wobbling unsteadily back to the club for a few more hours.

The lovely priest welcomed them thought a few old biddies tut-tutted in disgust!

Ha! Yes, Madmeg, I remember the drunks noisily piling into the back of the church for Midnight Mass. My mum used to say 'Don't look at them!"

I'm not Catholic, so no..I used to go to Christmas Eve service all the time when I was younger though

B9exchange

We will have a Midnight Mass in the Cathedral, have to get there really early to get a seat. The time has moved to 11.00 pm instead of 11.30 pm so we wish each other Happy Christmas as we go out, rather than during the peace. I have been going for many decades. On one occasion, driving home on my own full of the Christmas spirit, it was snowing and I stopped to offer a lift to the long blonde haired figure stuggling against the wind. Imagine my horror when the 'girl' turned out to be a man! But I had stopped, so I drove him home way out of my way, and he was very grateful!

My goodness! That could have been nasty!

Yes, we go. We also have an afternoon service of carols and readings, and refreshments. Our church (CofE) is in a very multi-cultural area and it’s lovely to see non-Christian families enjoying this.

Our village church (very small village on Dartmoor) does most of its services via facetime believe it or not but the Midnight Mass for Christmas Eve is extremely well attended (although it takes place at about 7pm) and is standing room only. It really is a lovely service though and we go every year. We are both Catholic but the Church is not - to be completely honest I am not sure what denomination the church is and it really doesn't seem to matter which is a great thing to be able to say

Until the Covid lockdown. Now I don't like to turn out that late, returning to my isolated home alone in the dense darkness - no street or neighbours' house lights.