Nine Lessons, Nine Carols

This beautiful church is where I have grown up. Pretty much literally. Although not religious in any way really, I still enjoy singing…and have gone back every year since I was seven years old to this particular church service. It seems to encapsulate Christmas for our family somehow, and even though we literally all just go to this one service every year – we are always welcomed warmly.

The church always looks massively festive, I love that all the lights are replaced by candles, and I just think it is perfect for this time of year. Just a beautiful looking church, and I wish there were more people that came along. I will admit that I’m not the best of choir people – I find some of the lyrics to the hymns a little bit creepy / funny…the hymn ‘Gabriel’s Message’ was the school hymn, and on the line “most highly favoured lady” everyone always used to sing “most highly flavoured gravy”…some things never change. Every time it came to that line I started to laugh . Watching everyone else looking solemn and in robes and then one joker on the end…it cannot have looked that good! But they ask me back every year so it is so nice to feel needed! And it is so lovely to come back to old haunts.

The rest of the day has been working. Christmas spirit is still so present though, so not all is bad!