A peaceful Advent Sunday...........

Thanks for that. I have just started my little book of Advent Reflections by Richard Rohr, trying to find some peace and tranquillity in the midst of the consumer chaos.

Amen to that

One of my favourites thanks.

S'lovely that is jingle. [Christmas ]

It is always peaceful up here, but at the moment it is almost completely silent under the thick blanket of snow! Two cars have passed slowly in the last three hours.
I really enjoy singing along with carols even though I am an atheist. My favourite is Adeste Fideles - we always sang it in Latin at school. Second favourite is 'Silent Night', then 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem'.

Thank you jO5

Thank you Jo5. I've just returned from Mass where the little ones stood round the Advent Wreath and one of the smallest lit the first candle. My favourite carol was sung: Veni Veni Emmanuel, a really haunting melody.

Beautifully sung j05 thanks, I enjoyed listening.

Greatnan I also love Carols and used to look forward to the Christmas season when the School Choir, dressed in school uniform with the addition of bright, wooly hats, scarves and gloves went out to sing at the hospital, old folks home, town centre etc. One year our choirmaster taught us Adeste Fideles, Stille Nacht (German) and Mon Beau Sapin (French).

There was a huge furore about this by parents and letters to the local paper with objections raised to Adeste Fideles - Presbeterians should not be singing in Latin, Stille Nacht - remember the WAR!, and Mon Beau Sapin - tune of The Red Flag.

We, young singers, were totally bemused by this demonstration of lack of Peace and Goodwill to ALL men. Hopefully, attitudes have changed. Anyway I had the immense pleasure, 50 years later, of singing all three of these Carols, with French, German, Spanish and Italian fellow guests in the lounge bar of a Spanish Hotel on Christmas Eve.

I am not a Christian either, but wish ALL Gransnetters Peace and Goodwill - the compliments of the Season to you all .

Thank you, Granny23, and the same to you!

Thanks G23. At St Andrews, before we went down for the Christmas vacation, we gathered, split into groups, to go round the town carol singing. The professors and lecturers were treated to this seasonal recital and I seem to remember that donations were made to charities. Plenty of goodwill, but the peace of the town was well and truly broken!

It sounds a lot of fun, anno. I don't mind giving to proper choir groups, but I used to object to two kids coming and singing one line (badly) of Good King Wenceslas and then expecting money.

Thank you J05.

I wish all GNs a healthy and happy Christmas with those they love and want to be with where possible. I hope that those celebrating will remember why we are doing it. Now I'll go back to card writing.

I will be celebrating the Winter Solstice!

Greatnan, the earliest carol singers we ever had were two young opportunists who arrived at the door the day after Halloween. I sent them packing and told them to come back just before Christmas. They never did.

Thank you JO5. A peaceful and reflective Advent to you.

Hope we all enjoy Advent .

I wish you all enough !

[festive smile]

Went to church with DD, SIL and DGC this morning, DD on "chalice rota" for her first time - nothing dropped [whew] emoticon. Must have been the good sermon as I found myself thinking about Advent and preparation for Christmas and how the media are driving us in headless chicken direction - "Have a stress-free C-mas" ,"Cook the perfect blah blah" etc and it got me thinking about the things that do matter in life, the injustices which sadly still exist and the many many people for whom this is not a time of comfort and joy. Just a thought.
(DD has started on a Christmas story book with the boys and DGS1 aged 2 1/2 was telling me at bedtime story time last night how Herod was a bad man as he wanted to hurt Baby Jesus. Bless)

gracesmum your Advent Sunday sounds lovely. Glad the chalice duty went well.

Yes, you're right about the stress involved these days. I'm starting to worry (in the night!) if that particular present is right for that particular person! Oh for the days when we spent so much less money on everything and didn't have to worry about getting it all right!