pre-midnight Mass carols

[presbyter]

We've tried alternatives to carols; 1st Vespers one year (went down like a lead balloon)

Anyone do the readings from the Office of Readings?

[presbyter]

When does Christmas begin?

If you look at the Daily Mass readings and Divine Office, you could argue it has begun - on the 17th December.

[lesley wright]

So it begins on 17th December - perhaps. When does it end? Is my PP the only one who wonders why I still want to be singing carols on the Sunday after Christmas?

[docmattc]

I still want to be singing carols on the Sunday after Christmas?

As that's still in the octave of Christmas its definitely still Christmas. Epiphany is the end of the '12 days' but Christmastide lasts until the Baptism, only then are we back to ordinary time. isn't the crib supposed to stay up until the feast of the Presentation? I forget.

Anyone do the readings from the Office of Readings?

If memory serves the disatrous year when we tried evening prayer I think we did one of them, something from Leo? I tried to find the order of service last night but its in the semi-tame black hole I use as a filing system.

[gwyn]

Is my PP the only one who wonders why I still want to be singing carols on the Sunday after Christmas?

Is your P.P. kosher? Sounds as though the local Imam might have more of an idea.

[lesley wright]

Is your P.P. kosher?

Well, he'd probably rather we didn't have any music in church at all, ever! I may be slightly exaggerating, but certainly I have difficulty in persuading people in church to keep hold of the thought of Christmas for 12 days, however conscientious they are in not taking their home decorations down till then. The length of time some people have had their decorations up they must have cobwebs on them.

[oopsorganist]

oo

someone just told me of a parish which has a 4 o'clock for the kiddies and and 8 o'clock for Midnight Mass.

Why is it that everyone is unavailable to practice at Christmas but so many people are magically there for services? There's something wrong here somewhere. I blame Aunty Edna and Grandma. And Santa too.

[nazard]

I know I'm a bit thick and all that kind of thing, but surely midnight mass is at midnight and mass any earlier is a vigil mass?

[presbyter]

I know I'm a bit thick and all that kind of thing, but surely midnight mass is at midnight and mass any earlier is a vigil mass?

A literal translation from the Roman Missal (Latin) is "Night Mass" - there's no mention of the time.

[Crumhorn]

Interesting thread this. At one point we had the whole music group subjected to a grand inquisition (three or four years ago) because we actually dared to use a lesser-known setting for 'In the bleak midwinter' - and dared to have a couple of carols that some people didn't know. Apparently 'there were a lot of complaints'...! It also appeared that our choice of music was responsible for the downturn in attendance at midnight mass, caused deep offence, and generally led to the conclusion that we should probably stop music altogether...

Ancient history, fortunately. For what we did this year for the half hour of carols before Midnight Mass - with slightly different results - see another thread on this forum (http://www.ssg.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=573.

Well, I bet that shocked a few people too