Reading

Christmas Eve for us starts with a traditional fat boy / girl breakfast out - the 'Full English' combined with the continental buffet that always meets with approval with the children as it includes cake; small chocolate chip muffins. Incidentally, I last ate cake for breakfast in Genoa whilst managing a bid project for our Italian colleagues and haven't felt the need to repeat it. For the youngster thought, it is a must... 

After stopping at Waitrose for some even more last-minute provisions, we neared home in good time for the first Crib Service with Christingle at St Mary's Church, Lawford. This idea did not meet with the approval of Master H who was longing to get home for a spell of Minecrafting on the Playstation. Since the audience was captive in the car, we kidnapped them in the direction of the church.

On arrival Gill (keyboard player and wife to the vicar) encouraged Miss I that a starring role in the proceedings would be a good thing, with a promise that if she should be successful in recruiting help, the task could be shared. Since we had arrived early, we'd secured good seats and a lengthy opportunity for Miss I to succeed in her quest. Time passed and the rejections poured in... that is until with only minutes to spare, one of Miss C's friends and classmate arrived and willingly accepted the plea for help. In fairness to Miss I, she would have read the whole thing herself but as it was, both of them performed brilliantly.

In case you're wondering, the small boy with star covered coat appeared at the front of a random points throughout. I suspect he just couldn't see from his seat at the back...