Keerock
Footballguy
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What's Normal? - Do you typically go to Church on Christmas Eve? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Keerock
- Start date
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Before Covid we did most years but have since stopped.
Keerock
Footballguy
Also... this 
youtu.be
St. Joseph's Christmas Mass Spectacular - SNL
St. Joseph's Christmas Mass Spectacular features Pastor Pat (Bobby Moynihan), organist Linda Tayhoe (Kate McKinnon) and all forty-four verses of "O Come, All...
youtu.be
Christmas Eve is when they descend on the heathens making their once yearly visit. "Oh, new guy...let's roll!"
General Malaise
Footballguy
Would sometimes go when my mom was alive but no, after she passed that chapter has been permanently closed. My dad gave church up after she died as well, which I knew all along was an act of his to keep the peace.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
I used to when I was part of a family in a community, and loved Christmas Eve mass - but unless I'm attending a wedding or other religious ceremony, I do not plan on ever steeping foot in a Church again.
-OZ-
Footballguy
Yes. Almost every year except 2020.
We attend sporadically throughout the year, probably once a month on average. I’ve led a youth group for the past 6 years (boys are now in 7th grade, three of us have been with them since 2nd grade). My wife works at the church’s preschool, and my 18yo does AV and other activities with the church (he’s far more devout than we are).
Our 15yo is an atheist, we’re letting him decide whether to attend with the family.
We attend sporadically throughout the year, probably once a month on average. I’ve led a youth group for the past 6 years (boys are now in 7th grade, three of us have been with them since 2nd grade). My wife works at the church’s preschool, and my 18yo does AV and other activities with the church (he’s far more devout than we are).
Our 15yo is an atheist, we’re letting him decide whether to attend with the family.
belljr
Footballguy
:golfclap:
STEADYMOBBIN 22
Footballguy
Used to every year as a kid.
We went quite a few times when the girls were young.
Haven’t gone since Covid
I would go regularly if they would just get in a nice 20-30 minute sermon but the chirch we belong to has a band, intermission and then sermon, takes over an hour.
My knees and back just can’t do all the standing, and constant sitting/getting up, sitting again. I’m not there for JFK’s calisthenics program.
Voted no.
We went quite a few times when the girls were young.
Haven’t gone since Covid
I would go regularly if they would just get in a nice 20-30 minute sermon but the chirch we belong to has a band, intermission and then sermon, takes over an hour.
My knees and back just can’t do all the standing, and constant sitting/getting up, sitting again. I’m not there for JFK’s calisthenics program.
Voted no.
-OZ-
Footballguy
We’ll sit in the back and check the scores, be home by halftime. The only game worth watching at that time is Miami / Dallas. Although Jax/TB could be surprisingly good.
arrow1
Footballguy
Why?
Don Quixote
Footballguy
I’m 50-50. Rotate Christmas between my family and my wife’s family. If out visiting my in-laws (which we do every other year), yes. If we were visiting my family or staying home, no.
Voted no.
Voted no.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
I'll take a wild guess and say "Covid".
Scoresman
Footballguy
It's funny, when I was a kid and was forced to go to church every Sunday I used to look at all the new people who showed up on Christmas wondering who they were and why they were there. It's like they aren't quite committed to going every week, but still want to make sure they punch their ticket into heaven or whatever by going once a year at Christmas. Probably a harsh observation on my part.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
There’s a way tl;dr answer to this but it mostly centers around stage of life - and Covid was a factor too those first couple of years but not really a factor now.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Definitely part of it - tbh, I don’t even remember if our church had services that first Christmas. Elderly parents not in great health and kids becoming adults and doing their own thing factored in. I probably come across as anti-religion in my posts but I’m more anti-religious people. I always really enjoyed Christmas Eve services with my family- was always a special time.
Drunken knight
Footballguy
Not religious but went to a jesuit high school. Would go to midnight mass back then.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
I almost never in my adult life go to church at any time let alone Christmas Eve
However, I am thinking about popping in somewhere this year but not Midnight Mass, maybe 5:00
I'd like to hear some Christmas Carols sung by a choir, think those words might actually be in a Christmas song.
There are a lot of cute little churches in my neighborhood that are not Catholic and I'm thinking about going just for the uplifting experience
As I think about it right now, Miami is hosting Dallas and I just cannot imagine being in church while all that is taking place at the same time, in fact the NFL decided wall to wall coverage for X-Mas Eve and X-Mas Day, it's a little obnoxious honestly.
However, I am thinking about popping in somewhere this year but not Midnight Mass, maybe 5:00
I'd like to hear some Christmas Carols sung by a choir, think those words might actually be in a Christmas song.
There are a lot of cute little churches in my neighborhood that are not Catholic and I'm thinking about going just for the uplifting experience
As I think about it right now, Miami is hosting Dallas and I just cannot imagine being in church while all that is taking place at the same time, in fact the NFL decided wall to wall coverage for X-Mas Eve and X-Mas Day, it's a little obnoxious honestly.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
That's funny because I started attending a Christian based men's group once a week at night at a church for quite some time after the pandemic was a daily event.
I've stopped going in the last year and had a difference of opinions we'll say with the gentleman who was running the group so i stopped attending.
They always wanted me to accept Jesus and be witnessed and I preferred to just listen and i gained a couple of really good friends so I felt my time was done there.
-I saw in another post you said the Cv-19 isn't really a thing anymore, I'm not so sure about that.
At my public tennis center which is run by Palm Beach, they still have a sign about mask and social distancing as you walk in the clubhouse and I've asked how long is that sign going to be on the doors and I don't get any answers
AAABatteries
Footballguy
I’ve never said this. You must be confusing me with someone else.
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
I’ve Never gone.
HomerSimpson
Footballguy
I cant even remember the last time i voluntarily went to Mass other than a wedding/funeral. Probably 20+ years.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Are you sure?
"and Covid was a factor too those first couple of years but not really a factor now"
-That's your post if you scroll up with your handle, maybe I didn't understand the meaning but I also wasn't trying to argue about anything, I just was sharing that where you say you went to church prior to the pandemic, I'm saying I never went UNTIL the pandemic and there wasn't a lot to do.
All good
AAABatteries
Footballguy
I’m talking about a factor in why I don’t go to church on Christmas Eve. And I’m not arguing either - just explaining what I meant. Let’s get back on topic though.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Curious for you and others - do you guys do a special Christmas Eve service or just regular church on Sunday and if it happens to fall on Christmas Eve so be it? Growing up I only remember doing services on Sunday and they would make them a Christmas service or on a Sunday night usually a Christmas musical. Seems like just about everyone now has special Christmas Eve services.
Maybe I’m remembering wrong from when I was a kid.
dgreen
Footballguy
My church does something every Christmas Eve regardless of what day that is. So, this year, we will have typical Sunday morning worship and then another gathering in the evening.
IvanKaramazov
Footballguy
Same.
My wife likes Christmas eve services, but honestly I don't. They're fine, of course, but I am a morning person and I really do not like to go back into town after I've settled in for the evening. Our church is doing three services this Sunday: 10, 4, and 7. We are going to the 4:00 service as a compromise. I wish we were doing 10:00 instead. (All three services are going to be the same, so it's not like we're choosing between "regular church" vs. "Christmas eve church").
Keerock
Footballguy
We go to the 4pm as well... midnight Mass was never practical with kids so the 4pm is our "tradition". Also, going AFTER stuffing my fat face with Prime Rib might not be a good/comfortable idea.
I hear you re: not liking the Christmas Eve services. I like the service/Mass just fine, but the dressing up, the crowd, parking, having to be there an hour early to get a seat, the rush to get home and make dinner, etc. are frustrating. I try really hard to not be a curmudgeon :shakesfist:
I hear you re: not liking the Christmas Eve services. I like the service/Mass just fine, but the dressing up, the crowd, parking, having to be there an hour early to get a seat, the rush to get home and make dinner, etc. are frustrating. I try really hard to not be a curmudgeon :shakesfist:
TheAristocrat
Footballguy
I'm pretty sure my parents did Midnight Mass on Christmas growing up because it was a longer mass and my brother and I would be bored to tears so we'd crash immediately upon getting home.
My church will skip the normal Sunday morning service and does our standard Christmas service. They'll do the same service twice on Christmas Eve (Sunday afternoon) and then again Christmas Day (Monday morning).
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
This is my youthful transition in a nutshell. Went from going every Christmas Eve to going to the bar once I was old enough.
TennesseeJed
Footballguy
typically - 4:00 Christmas Eve mass was the Children's mass, and most-overcrowded mass of the year. If someone was not there an hour in advance to save seats, you were standing.
But, it makes Christmas Eve and Christmas easier if you have kids. Mass --> Dinner --> Presents --> Bed
Then Christmas morning - Santa gifts, some kind of relaxed brunch, and then a Christmas dinner with family late afternoon. Nothing else for the day - i.e. not having to get kids away from presents, and dressed up for church.
But, it makes Christmas Eve and Christmas easier if you have kids. Mass --> Dinner --> Presents --> Bed
Then Christmas morning - Santa gifts, some kind of relaxed brunch, and then a Christmas dinner with family late afternoon. Nothing else for the day - i.e. not having to get kids away from presents, and dressed up for church.
TennesseeJed
Footballguy
In our church, Sunday mass will be a different service (Different readings/gospel/homily) than Christmas Eve mass.
Keerock
Footballguy
FWIW... this year (and every year, really) Sunday morning mass (or the Saturday vigil mass) fulfills your Sunday obligation, the Sunday evening vigil (or Christmas day mass) fulfills your Christmas obligation.
I hate that word "obligation", but that be what it's called.
wlwiles
Footballguy
We're not weekly church-goers in our house, but we do attend the late Christmas Eve service because it's a candlelight service, with lots of carols and a pianist and violinist are brought in and it's really a beautiful service. There's two Christmas Eve services, the earlier one is more typical and usually attended by those with small children or elderly folks that don't stay up all night, then the candlelight one is more formal.
IvanKaramazov
Footballguy
Yeah, but we're protestants so we're super laid back about this stuff. My current church doesn't even follow the lectionary. It's chaos!
Terminalxylem
Footballguy
Not a church goer, but have been a handful of times over my life. I enjoy non-holiday sermons much more, and not a fan of music/singing in places of worship, period.
FairWarning
Footballguy
No but will watch Mass on TV.
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