Merry Christmas!

This Christmas, for whatever reason -- maybe because there was no snow, maybe because I was away from my family, maybe because there were no candy canes -- felt like a "Christmas in July" celebration. It was a little different from what I am used to at Christmas time, but I certainly enjoyed it.

In the month leading up to Christmas, I attended four special Christmas services and two Christmas parties. The Christmas services shared some features, such as the singing of Christmas carols, the presence of Christmas trees, and focus on the Reason for the Season. Another commonality was the candlelit singing of "Silent Night."

"Silent Night, Holy Night..."

On Christmas Day, I woke up very early to attend the outdoor, city-wide Christmas Celebration service that began at 4:00 am (!). My roommate and I met up with several friends and attended together. This event took place downtown, in a large, public, grassy area. They had a big stage set up, with flashy lights and a powerful sound system. We all sat on mats or sheets, to protect us from the wet grass.

The service began with praise songs, then moved into Christmas carols, prayers, greetings from several denominational pastors, and a Christmas sermon. Near the beginning of the service, while it was still dark, we observed the traditional candlelit singing of "Silent Night."

As the service progressed, the sky grew lighter and the sun rose.

When I got home at about 6:30 am, I called my family back home (it was their Christmas Eve) and we arranged to video Skype. That was really nice! While I was Skyping with them, I opened the Christmas package they had sent me.

 

After chatting with my family, I opened a package from the Church ladies back home, and spent a few quiet hours making cards and listening to Christmas music.

Later in the day, my roommate and I headed over to our friend's house for a Christmas dinner potluck. We ordered KFC (yes, we have that here!) in place of turkey, and also enjoyed mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, salad, rolls, cornbread, rice casserole, and pesto pasta. About 13 of us enjoyed this yummy dinner together, then spent the evening playing games, laughing uproariously, drinking cider, and eating Christmas treats.

All in all, it was a great day!