Tuesday 4 December 2007

Season of celebration and lurginess

I've cracked the two-Christmas-dinners-in-a-day dilemma. I was so abstemious that I actually managed to leave two tables still feeling slightly hungry. I am glad of that, as I will have to do the same thing next week. Why did four societies plan celebratory meals on two days, I wonder?

I said Al and Dilly hadn't been too well yesterday - they just felt rough, nothing more and the children were fine. I spent two days with the children and I'm fine. Ro has spent the day in bed, except when he was throwing up in the bathroom. It so happened that he was working from home today; except he wasn't actually doing any work of course. Since stomach upsets, with him, turn into really bad three-day migraines, he has anti-sickness tablets from the doctor and they are, now, working. Poor bloke.

This evening, Dilly and I took the children to the Christingle service at the village church. They both enjoyed it vastly and Squiffany sang enthusiastically through the carols, undeterred by knowing neither words nor tunes. They both gazed spellbound at their lit Christingles, although Pugsley saw no reason not to put his fingers in the flame. I held it high to prevent him.

Tomorrow, it's the high school concert. I will, I know, be placed in the front row, where it is impossible to insert earplugs without being noticed. I enjoy it, rock band, jazz band, punk band, string quartet and all the rest, but my ears are unused to high volume.

8 comments:

Dave said...

Christingles in the first week of Advent is pushing at the boundaries a bit.

The Boy said...

That's very early, ours isn't for a while yet. We always have to negotiate which one we go to between cubs, school and the church.

Keeping their fingers out of the flame is easy enough, keeping the sweeties out of their mouths until we leave the church, a bit more difficult...

Z said...

The first time we took Squiffany, when she was 9 months old, she didn't know the sweets were edible and scoffed the orange instead.

From tomorrow onwards the school will be rehearsing their Christmas play, to be performed at the end on next week, so the Christingle is always early in the month. The other parishes have theirs later, but with one Rector and six parishes, time has to be juggled.

Pat said...

Oh I'm not the only; one about it being early I mean. In Sussex when I visit the family we have it Christmas Eve - which is right and proper. And no longer being a member of anything, one Christmas dinner will do very nicely.

luckyzmom said...

Thanks for the link. I wondered what you all were talking about. What a cool tradition.

I had the idea to make a birthday cake, with a big white candle for Jesus, when my kids were small, to emphasize the reason for the season, but never got around to it.

Z said...

We have a church school in our village and we're happy to go with the timing that's best for them. Our carol service is on Christmas Eve. This year, as that's on a Monday, we're sort of having two carol services, one on the Sunday, when it will be traditional lessons and carols, and the Monday evening one will be more informal and modern - still have the traditional carols though. I'll be back at the organ stool again for the Christmas Day service at 10 o'clock. Don't think Jesus goes unnoticed around here.

Monozygote said...

Late to the party, but I feel sorry for the orange.

Z said...

Oh darling, yes - pricked and prodded and abused and raped by a candle and destined to be thrown in the bin at the end of it all. I'm glad that Squiffany ate hers, because no orange could mind being eaten - totally appreciated, and what a fruit is for.