On Christmas Night

On Christmas night, I want a record of what made for such a wonderful Christmas Eve:

• Writing a pageant but letting someone else direct it — a first for me!
• The Choir Director's band rocking the house with Angels We Have Heard on High at the end of the pageant.
• Raising the candles on the last line of Silent Night, different and gorgeous at all three services: at the Pageant I saw it from the back, congregation seated; then at Lessons and Carols looking out over a standing congregation, the choir behind us, the balcony full; finally at nearly midnight, a quiet congregation, the young people in the choir loft luminous after singing "Night of Silence."
• Snowman playing in a wind ensemble and alone with the organ.
• "In the Silence" sung by the Senior Choir at Lessons and Carols with the oboe and chimes.
• Carols accompanied in part by tuba.
• Silent Night sung with the guitar at the two later services.
• Supper with B, our Awesome Administrator, who invited my family to have our brief downtime with her.
• Knowing Sam was safe and cared for while I spent ten hours at church thanks to my husband.
• Snowman and Light Princess singing in the choir at 11; for a group working on two rehearsals, they were great! I also appreciate the Choir Director's Facebook comment to Snowman, encouraging him to keep singing; he hasn't sung in public in years.
• #1 Son reading Luke at Lessons and Carols, then getting to read it myself for the first time ever at 11.
• Communion at 11 pm — the congregation coming forward, everything feeling so open in part because of the hour and the underlying exhaustion making all of us a little giddy.
• As we left the sanctuary at midnight, to wait for the congregation to come by on the way out the door, my colleague had a kind word and a hug for me–much appreciated!
• And lastly, in the car on the way home, the kids and I sang along with Sufjan on "O Holy Night."

More about Christmas tomorrow, no doubt…