How are people handling the 4th Sunday in Advent and Christmas Eve in one day?

[3 ladybugs]

We have to go to 2 church services on Sunday. I am hoping the boys are good. The first one will sort of be about them. Our church is doing a modified service in the morning with them singing throughout. The second service we were struggling with. I think we are going to go to German services at a church about the same distance as our church away (for living in NJ we go a great distance to go to church). It will be something different and we liked it last year. For the record we barely speak German but it is a nice service and the pastor is animated enough that we can understand bits of the homely. 

 

So how are others handling it? Do you need to go to 2 services? Are you splitting it with Christmas day services? 

[scholastica]

We’re goong to 8:00 am Mass on the 24th and again on the 25th. We alternate between Midnight and morning Mass each year. This year it’s morning Mass. Either way would have been fine with us.

[Mbelle]

Might go on Saturday evening and then again on Sunday evening.

[AnnE-girl]

We’re going to Mass on Saturday evening that fulfills our Sunday obligation, then my big kids are singing at the 4:00pm family Mass on Christmas Eve. Our pastor very nicely said not to complain about it during his homily on Sunday because we know being Catholic isn’t always easy. When he says the family Mass, we’re out in less than 50 minutes. It’s pretty impressive.

[Liz CA]

Our church does not offer a Christmas Day service so we just attend Christmas Eve service.

[Rockhopper]

We'll have Lessons and Carols on the 24th in the morning, candlelight service that evening and a regular Eucharistic (well, Christmas, of course, but... regular)

service Christmas morning.

[Wheres Toto]

The typical 9:30 am service on Christmas Eve is the Children's and Family Service.  My kids are singing so we will definitely be there.  There are two other services Christmas Eve but they are more quiet, peaceful services for adults, and we won't attend either of them.

 

My church doesn't offer a Christmas Day service.  

[MrsMommy]

We're going to the regular Sunday morning Divine Service at our usual church at 9:00 a.m.

Then we're going to the Christmas Eve service at the church that has the choir in which my children sing at 4:00 p.m.

Back at that church for some of the children and my husband to sing on Christmas Day at 9:00 a.m.

 

The schedule has made things interesting this year, but church is kind of the point, so I don't mind.

[3 ladybugs]

12/22:  Church service 2 hours

12/23:  Baptisms, and we are godparents for one of the incoming.  2 hours including reception followed by

12/23:  Resurrectional vigil.  Two hours.  Weekly during Advent.

12/24:  Divine Liturgy.  One and a half hours, followed by coffee hour and we are on the provisions team.  4 hours.

12/24:  Festal Vigil for Christmas Eve:  Two hours

12/25:  Divine Liturgy followed by coffee hour.  Two hours.  

12/26:  Divine Liturgy followed by coffee hour.  Two and a half hours.

12/26:  Great Vespers.  One hour. 

 

Sorry you asked? 

 

I will probably skip the 12/22 service but my dh can't and I have to go to part of it to help with some kids. 

Not everyone goes to alllll these services.  My dh does.  He's got responsibilities.  I'll probably skip out early from Resurrectional Vigil, so only 1.5 hours.  :0)

 

It's a wonderful time of worship...it looks grueling but it is joyful, if tiring, and at the end of it, I always end up kind of feeling like "I wish we had a service today."  

I KNOW my kids wouldn't be able to do all of that! I am tired just looking at it! I hope your church is close! Ours is a good 25 minutes away without traffic. 

[ebrindam]

We will go to Christmas Eve service at 5 pm. 

[jrn]

Dec 24 AM normal sunday service

Dec 24 PM sunday school kids service  (I'm the teacher, oldest dd helps me and youngest dd has several speaking parts)

Dec 25 song service in am.

[3 ladybugs]

We have a quiet room at my church but I find that kids like them TOO much (toys in there) and then that isn't good for anyone. My kids go to church every week since they have been out of the hospital with birth but they still have their moments. My youngest often protests at the end of services now. I needed to figure out something "different" for him to get him through 2 services in one day. The German services are sort of candlelight. The church started the German school that my children go to. So they will see familiar faces too. 

 

However no church I have ever been to has other adults to help with children if needed. That must be a special community you have. :)

[Joyofsixreboot]

Church in the morning. The 10 yo is still young enough to be in the children's pageant. We'll go again at 7pm for the "short" candle light service. We'll skip the 11:00 service. It's too late for me.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[rebcoola]

Almost regular service in the morning 9:30-11 it will be family style with no classes or groups after.  Than a short candle light service in the evening that is mostly music.

[Bluegoat]

Yeah.  We have a regular 10:30 service for Advent 4.  I am teaching Sunday school and we'll likely mostly go over the children's pageant.  

 

After that service I set out all the things for the kids service.

 

4pm is the kids service.

 

Dd12 and dh have to go back at 9:30 to be ready for the 11pm first Christmas mass service.  We'll do Christmas morning too, since I won't go to the night service and dd12 has to sing in the choir.

 

 

[Jennifer132]

The plan right now is to go to Saturday night vigil Mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent and go Christmas Eve evening for our Christmas obligation. Then we will go to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Christmas Day.

[brehon]

Saturday, 23rd - Vigil Mass [Advent IV] @ 5:30 (2 of my kids are altar servers, 2 are ushers)

Sunday, 24th - Noon Mass [Advent IV] (again, 2 kids are altar servers, 2 are ushers, I’m singing)

Sunday, 24th - Lessons and Carols @ 11:15 p.m. followed immediately by

Sunday, 24th-Monday, 25th - Midnight Christmas Mass (altar servers, ushers, singing for both)

Monday, 25th - Christmas Day Mass @ Noon (see above for involvement)

[scholastica]

Saturday, 23rd - Vigil Mass [Advent IV] @ 5:30 (2 of my kids are altar servers, 2 are ushers)

Sunday, 24th - Noon Mass [Advent IV] (again, 2 kids are altar servers, 2 are ushers, I’m singing)

Sunday, 24th - Lessons and Carols @ 11:15 p.m. followed immediately by

Sunday, 24th-Monday, 25th - Midnight Christmas Mass (altar servers, ushers, singing for both)

Monday, 25th - Christmas Day Mass @ Noon (see above for involvement)

Wow. Thank you for your family’s dedication and service!

[Chris in VA]

I will go to the early service Sun am because my son is coming home and I have to pick him up from the airport at tbe time of tbe later service (which is Lessons and Carols).

Then we will prob go to the kids' Christmas Eve service at 5pm because my granddaughter will be here. Dd will go in tha AM because she's reading at Lessons and Carols, and may go to the 11pm service because she really likes that one .

[cjzimmer1]

We are in the opposite boat.  Our church has two services every Sunday (and we always go to both because they are completely different) but due to Christmas being on Sunday there are only holding one service.  I'm kinda of bummed about that because it's not going to feel like Sunday but it is what it is.  

[Loowit]

Our church cancelled morning services for Sunday.  We are going to try to make the candlelight service in the evening, but we are going to meet up with family several hours away and aren't sure we will be home in time.

[Prairie~Phlox]

Sunday 10:30 service only. Works for us, we’ll have lunch, rest, open gifts, have chef salads & watch Die Hard, because my family thinks it’s the best Christmas movie. Monday will be stockings, prepping for dinner with our neighbors at our house and then Star Wars.

[lmrich]

We are going to the usual Sunday morning 8:45. Youngest dd sings at the 7:00 pm service, and the older dd sings at the 11:00 pm service. 

 

Brunch for the family at noon and soup in the crockpot for dinner. 

[matrips]

My kids are serving at the 6pm Saturday mass (for Sunday), and then at the 6pm Christmas Eve mass on Sunday. So that’s our plan.

 

Our pastor said it’s not a two-for-one :)

[ScoutTN]

We have worship at 10:15 Sunday morning, as usual. 1.25 hr service. No Sunday school, which is usually at 9:00. So a relaxed morning for us.

 

We'll go home, take the dog for a long walk and have a light lunch, then spend the early afternoon with dh's family.

 

Then we'll pick up my mom and go to 4.30 Christmas Eve worship. It will be short, about 45 minutes. Out for dinner after that. Cocoa by the fire before bed on Christmas Eve.

 

A busy day, but all enjoyable.

Our church has Sunday evening concerts or special worship services often enough that my kids don't really find it much of a stretch. W had a choir concert and a Lessons and Carols service on the first two Sundays in Advent, respectively.

 

Our church does not have services on Christmas day unless it falls on a Sunday. I wish we did! Some years we have gathered with friends for singing on Christmas night. Very nice.

Edited December 19, 2017 by ScoutTN

[carriede]

Saturday evening Vigil for the 4th Sunday,

Then Sunday evening Vigil for Christmas (Eve)

[teachermom2834]

Dh, dd, and I are going Saturday evening and Christmas Eve.

 

My boys ages 14, 17, 19 can't make the vigil on Saturday. 14 yo says he plans to go Sunday morning and then with us again in the evening. The 17 and 19 yos groaned when discussing the situation.I suspect they will skip the Sunday morning and go Christmas Eve with us. They never complain about going to mass and while I am sure the college kid skips when he is at school they never miss while home. But I'm not going to make an issue about missing the 4th Sunday in Advent mass Sunday morning. They will either get up and go or they won't but I'm not going to make an issue of it. They are old enough to make that call.

[Ali in OR]

Sunday morning regular service 9:00am

Sunday evening Christmas service 7:00pm

 

We go the evening service on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning service (except when Christmas is on a Sunday like last year). But there is a service Monday at 10:00am for those who prefer that.

[alisoncooks]

Well, I feel like a proper heathen. Our church cancelled Sunday morning service, and we won't make it to the Christmas Eve evening service because we will be traveling. But all these Christmas services sound lovely.

[Starr]

Fourth Advent Sunday morning , Christmas Eve Sunday night, And Christmas morning :). Busy weekend. Because you can’t forget to listen to the queen at noon on Christmas .

[musicianmom]

*

Edited May 21, 2022 by musicianmom

[Ellie]

My parish's schedule:

 

Saturday, December 23—Vigil—Fourth Sunday of Advent

• 5 p.m.
• 7 p.m.                Spanish

Sunday, December 24—Regular Mass—Fourth Sunday of Advent

• 7:30 a.m.            Spanish
• 9:30 a.m.
• 11:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 24—Christmas Masses

• 4 p.m.*               Children’s Mass (*Overflow Mass will be celebrated in the Parish Evangelization Center)
• 6 p.m.*               (*Overflow Mass will be celebrated in the Parish Evangelization Center)
• 8 p.m.                Spanish
• 10 p.m.           
• Midnight             Bilingual    

Monday, December 25

• 9:30 a.m.
• 1:30 p.m.            Spanish

So, people can choose from two Vigil Masses for the fourth Sunday of Advent, plus three on Sunday (they must choose one); then five Vigil Masses for Christmas, plus two on Christmas (they must choose one) (for folks who are not Catholic, the fourth Sunday of Advent *and* Christmas are Holy Days of Obligation).

 

ETA: I'm going to 9:30 on Sunday a.m, then lectoring at the 10:00 p.m. Vigil.

Edited December 19, 2017 by Ellie

[ktgrok]

I'm planning on the saturday evening service to count as 4th Sunday of Advent, and then Sunday at 4pm to count as Christmas. 

[hjffkj]

We are doing Mass Saturday evening for our 4th Sunday in Advent Mass and then midnight Mass on Christmas.

[aggieamy]

We’re going to Mass on Saturday evening that fulfills our Sunday obligation, then my big kids are singing at the 4:00pm family Mass on Christmas Eve. Our pastor very nicely said not to complain about it during his homily on Sunday because we know being Catholic isn’t always easy. When he says the family Mass, we’re out in less than 50 minutes. It’s pretty impressive.

 

I had to do a double take because this is what I was going to post. This is us exactly. Father has warned everyone that if you want a beautiful reflective Christmas mass go to ANY service but the 4 PM family mass. That one is standing room only even if you get there by 3:15. If I didn't have a kid singing I'd go to a different one.

[Alessandra]

The huge problem in traditional Anglo-Catholic parishes (and perhaps others as well) is that Christmas decorations should be up during Advent. That give people just a few hours to decorate when last Advent and Christmas Eve are on same date. But most parishes I know sneak in a few (Un Decorated) trees or whatever ahead of time.

[hjffkj]

Do you stay up and open gifts after Mass or.. ?

We'll get home around 1:15- 1:30 and carry the kids to bed, most will fall asleep during or before Mass. Then dh and I exchange gifts with each other and put out the kids' gifts. We are usually in bed by 3. Then the kids wake us up around 7. This only works because dh and I are just big kids and can't sleep on Christmas Eve because we're too excited.

 

If this sounds crazy to you the rest of our Christmas Eve and Christmas day will sound even more crazy. On the 26th we sleep A LOT!

[Bluegoat]

I had to do a double take because this is what I was going to post. This is us exactly. Father has warned everyone that if you want a beautiful reflective Christmas mass go to ANY service but the 4 PM family mass. That one is standing room only even if you get there by 3:15. If I didn't have a kid singing I'd go to a different one.

 

Our family service tends to be crazy too. It's set up as a sort of nativity ply with singing, but all kids who show up can participate.  We get quite a few who we've never seen before and it can be extremely nutty.

 

This is my first year organizing it and I keep waking up in the night thinking about the details, worried I'll forget something.

[PrincessMommy]

I don't know what we're going to do.  Our adult son and wife are visiting from Sat.-Monday.  We have services Sat. night, Sunday morning, Sun night and Monday morning.   They do not share our faith tradition, so I feel it is too much to expect them to come to everything.  OTOH, we'll be gone a lot if we go to each of the services.   

[Bluegoat]

The huge problem in traditional Anglo-Catholic parishes (and perhaps others as well) is that Christmas decorations should be up during Advent. That give people just a few hours to decorate when last Advent and Christmas Eve are on same date. But most parishes I know sneak in a few (Un Decorated) trees or whatever ahead of time.

 

We generally put the greenery up between Advent 3 and 4.  We generally make about six huge garlands that hang from the balcony, and they are really heavy - it takes about 4 large men to get them hung.  And making them itself takes a large group of people a few hours work, plus cleaning up all the needles.

 

It's not something that could easily be done in a short window.  The ribbons and such that go with the greens will be put up after Advent 4, which will be a little dicey this year.  I did the creche at the back of the church on Saturday and it was covered with a sheet until it's time to reveal it.  

[TravelingChris]

I am not sure yet what we are doing.  Our church normally does Family Christmas Eve at 4 or 5, then Traditional at 7 and Jazz at 11.  They have changed it this year so Family at 11am, Traditional at 7p, and Jazz at 11 pm/   Two of my three children will be working until 6 pm and we traditionally have been going to Jazz service these last few years.  We will go to Jazz Service because we do like to have our traditional Christmas Eve dinner before church if we can (we couldn't always depending on circumstances).  However I do not want to go to 2 Christmas services. I want to go to 4th Sunday in Advent and then Christmas Eve at night.So I will be looking at services in other churches.

[ktgrok]

I had to do a double take because this is what I was going to post. This is us exactly. Father has warned everyone that if you want a beautiful reflective Christmas mass go to ANY service but the 4 PM family mass. That one is standing room only even if you get there by 3:15. If I didn't have a kid singing I'd go to a different one.

 

Ugh. I've always avoided the family mass for this reason, because it is so busy (they do two masses, one in the church and one in the parish hall) and less likely to feel "special". We normally go to the 7pm, late enough to be dark out but not so late that the kids are up too late. But this year we are having DH's brother and girlfriend over for dinner Christmas Eve, and I don't see  a way to do it other than 4pm mass and then dinner. Wish us luck, i guess. 

[barnwife]

The plan right now is to go to Saturday night vigil Mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent and go Christmas Eve evening for our Christmas obligation. Then we will go to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Christmas Day.

I'm jealous of the adoration on Christmas!

 

I don't know what we will do. To make our priest's life less hectic (he serves multiple parishes), our parish decided to cancel one of our normal Sunday services. For reasons I can't fathom, they chose to cancel the most popular time one. So we either need to get up super early on Sunday to go to 4th Sunday Mass, or go Sat. night.

 

Except we are going OOT on Sat. to celebrate with some family. I am currently searching for an early Sat. evening Mass in their town so we could drive home after. Then we'd go to our church's 11 am Christmas Mass. It will be packed, but it's better than the evening Midnight Mass. And there's no way we want to go the super early service.

[hjffkj]

I'm jealous of the adoration on Christmas!

 

I don't know what we will do. To make our priest's life less hectic (he serves multiple parishes), our parish decided to cancel one of our normal Sunday services. For reasons I can't fathom, they chose to cancel the most popular time one. So we either need to get up super early on Sunday to go to 4th Sunday Mass, or go Sat. night.

 

Except we are going OOT on Sat. to celebrate with some family. I am currently searching for an early Sat. evening Mass in their town so we could drive home after. Then we'd go to our church's 11 am Christmas Mass. It will be packed, but it's better than the evening Midnight Mass. And there's no way we want to go the super early service.

Our Church cancelled the regular noon Mass so they had time to decorate for Christmas Masses at 4. It gives them 5 hours to get the decorating done, whereas if they kept it they'd only have 3 hours. We would prefer the noon Mass but instead will go Saturday evening.