Festival of Lessons and Carols from Kings

The best part of Christmas, Maw. I cry too when those little choir boys sing.

Me too Maw, always listen to it while I do the vegetables, to me it's the start of Christmas and I also find Once in Royal David's City a real tear jerker.

Very much part of my Christmas!

We'll be watching the televised version this evening. I'll light the candles and we'll eat fish pie and drink mulled wine sitting by the woodburner.

This and midnight mass always makes my Christmas.

As the carols start I go into the kitchen and start preparing Christmas lunch, by the time it is over everything is ready from smoked salmon to Christmas pud. All the food prepped and in the fridge. Saucepans and serving dishes out on the side. Meanwhile DH and DD have laid the Christmas table. As the carol service ends, we have a nice cup of tea and a mince pie. Job done.

Just settling down to watch the recording, Christmas can start now.

I plan to listen on catch up in the morning, as I get the turkey stuffed and in the oven. I missed this afternoon for a happy reason, I went to our Round the Crib nativity performance, along with one of my daughters and her almost 3 year old. It was of course, a joy. We met Brown Owl, who looked after my girls so very well on their first Brownie camp almost 30 years ago.

DH had taken possession of the kitchen this afternoon so I shut myself away so I could join in while I sorted presents. Wonderful! Now have a sore throat!

Oh dear I have just back from our choir rehearsal. .
The program that the new choir leader has put in all sorts of awful music.
We have been doing the christmas concert for a long time but the music this time is awful.

Nothing of the lovely choir Christmas music we have done for ages.

The coventry Carol has had all sorts of odd pieces of classical music added which spoils the simplicity of the original completely.
And other good Carols have gone.
Where is Imagine someone sticking other bits of other music on to Mozarts Ave Verum .

Sorry about my rant.

Love it - to me it's not Christmas without it. Preferably accompanied by mulled wine and mince pies.

During the many years we lived overseas, I'd listen to it on the BBC World Service, which was a lifeline in many ways.

I hate mucked-about carols, or trad. ones set to new tunes. Once attended a big carol singalong with friends - so disappointing. Nearly all the carols were unfamiliar - and I am familiar with a lot, inc. newer ones - and any well loved ones were set to unfamiliar tunes. Even the Holly and the Ivy was set to some awful new tune.
What a waste of an £8 ticket!

When same friends asked if we'd like a repeat the following year, it was a big no thanks from me.

This is a year old thread and a bit early for Christmas ?
But......I love it too, and have a wonderful cd of a recording made about ten years ago.

I LOVE Christmas carols and always visit our local park where the Salvation Army have a carol service every year.
My favourite ~ "In The Bleak Mid Winter"

My favourite Hark The Herald Angels Sing.?

Used to be part of my pre-Christmas. These days I seem to prefer a last-minute wander round the shops. Got two free lovely orchids last year because the florist was closing forthe week.

Nice to be home for Hark the Herald though. No big deal if I'm not.

My favourite bit of Christmas Eve . I listen with a lump in my throat and a sense of peace for the real meaning of Christmas. It is absolutely beautiful and I love that most of it is the same year on year

I love it.

I love In The Bleak Midwinter too.
I have it in my Easy Carols for piano book - might just have to go and play it now!

Will listen this year (as ever) while not "cursing the gammon" (some members may remember this! ) as I now have doing it in the slow cooker down to a fine art!

I now have to know why you were cursing the gammon, Phoenix!

I always cook my gammon on Chr. Eve too - such a lovely Christmassy smell from it and the glaze - an old GH recipe with marmalade, mustard and allspice.
It's not Christmas without that, either!

This will be our first Christmas in 43 years without our daughter, son in law and three grandchildren. They have moved to Australia. We hope it is not forever. We have other family coming for the festive season but we will really miss them. Any ideas?

Resurgam … I think I'd agree with you. Simplicity is always best.

lemongrove and DanniRae … my two favourites as well

MarieEliza … 43 years is a long time. I expect you will feel at least a little out of step this year.
I don't have any ideas at the mo, but if you post the same request on another more prolific Christmas thread I'm sure others will commiserate with you and help with ideas for filling the gap.

MarieEliza any chance you can afford to go and visit?

I love it. Must be the old traditional carols though, and all the better in Latin.
Looking forward to making mince pies and listening on the radio.