Christmas Eve Pictures

Christmas Eve is just as magical as Christmas day. We have spent the entire day baking and sewing and getting ready for tomorrow, and hoping that the relentless nor'west wind will stop soon.

Late this afternoon we all went to the local Anglican church for a wonderful Christingle service - a special service for children. Amazingly it was packed - we managed to get the last pew - and there were more arriving after us.

Christingle is an ancient service used to celebrate Jesus coming to the world. The word Christingle means Christ-Light and is represented by an orange (for the world), a candle (for Jesus), fruit and sweets for the fruits of the earth  and the Holy Spirit, and the red ribbon for Jesus' blood.
All the children were given one of these at the end of the service.

The Anglican church we went to is a beautiful old building. There's something about those old places and their atmosphere. I had to sneak a few photos to show you.

Alice was soooo good all through the service.

We came home for our own little traditions . . .

. . . Drinking Christmas Wassail,
. . . Christmas carols around the piano

. . . Christmas Cake

. . . candles on the table

. . . hanging the stockings with care

. . . hanging the Christmas bunting,

. . .  putting milk and cookies out for Santa

. . . . last minute Christmas wrapping

. . . trying to get the children to go to sleep early!