Holidays Past: Candlelight

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to church on Christmas Eve. While we are often not at our home church for Christmas, I've always tried to go to the Midnight Mass at the church I went to in high school, or with Matt's family for service.

They tell the Christmas story, we say the prayers, we sing Christmas hymns.

But my favorite part is when they pass out little candles to everyone, and turn out all the lights in the sanctuary. We sing "Silent Night" and the pastor lights his own candle from the Christmas candles on the altar. He then passes the flame to the candles of the people on the edges of the pew rows, and one by one, the entire sanctuary becomes lit by the glow of hundreds of candles as people pass the light, all from the same flame.

Church Christmas Concert, 2010

I hope everyone has a wonderful, merry Christmas full of blessings and joy.