Should kids go to midnight church services?
Many churches offer very moving midnight services for Christmas Eve. We often went to Midnight Mass when my brother and I were teenagers but never as little kids. I have several friends who take their elementary age-kids to midnight services. They usually sleep through the service. I have many questions about taking small children to midnight services:
A. How do you get your Santa Claus business done if you’re at church from 11:30 to 1:30 or 2 including travel time?
B. Aren’t you afraid that if they sleep during the service they will wake up heading home and then won’t go back to sleep?
C. If they are sleeping during the service does that defeat the purpose? (Lilina, who had a cold, slept during church last week and it helped me concentrate so much more!)
We usually take our kids to the early afternoon family Mass. The only problem there is it’s often packed – with kids! So it’s tough to get anything super-spiritual out of it. Plus, I got yelled at one time for standing to soothe a crying baby during the hour and a half service. (So that went well.) It’s nice when they have sort of 7 p.m. service that isn’t the children’s service or the midnight one. I like to get in and out under the radar.
So do you take young kids to midnight services at your church for Christmas? Explain to me how you get the Santa business done with that late service? What time service do you usually attend why? When can kids start attending the midnight services?
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66 comments Add your comment
deidre_NC
December 24th, 2010
11:08 am
ive been told that the reason for gift giving is to symbolize the gifts to the baby jesus…i really never heard of this till a couple of years ago.
as for people having to work on cristmas-when i worked in a hospital as a unit secretary (many years ago) i had to work christmases a lot. and most helath care of emergency workers will….especially with all the snow predicted in such a wide spread area…god bless those who have to work to keep us all safe—and also those who have to work to keep the stores solvent..grrr….everyone knows that christmas is on the same day every year….i think all stores should close very early on christmas eve…maybe pharmacies should have an emergency number….but really….the place i work used to close at 6pm christmas eve…..now it stays open till 8…which means no one gets out till at least 9 or so….and there are rumors that they are going to start staying open on christmas day….that is just sad.
deidre_NC
December 24th, 2010
11:09 am
* 。•˛ •*★Merry*★*Christmas Eve Everyone!★* 。 • ˚ ˛˚ ˛•˚*
•。* 。 • ˚ ˚˛˚ 。* 。* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •˚* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •˚* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
…˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •˚* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚｜ 田田 ｜門｜。˚* • ˚ *。•*。˚* • ˚ *。•*。˚* •
i hope everyone has a christmas filled with love and blessings….and that the families dont get on your nerves too badly lol….
motherjanegoose
December 24th, 2010
12:10 pm
@deidre…that picture is SO neat! I was hoping TWG would pass your e-mail on to me but I do not have it, so I want to wish you the best!
@catlady, no the pharmacy was not open…just the regular part of the store and we still laugh, every year over the STUPID things folks bought as they were desperate, on Christmas eve. My son gets off at 1:00, from the Pharmacy, today. He typically volunteers to work part of the day of most holidays as we are only 30 minutes away and many others would not get to see their families if they had to work on Thanksgiving and such. Their Pharamacy is not open tomorrow.
@penguinmom…that was 7 years ago and I don’t think they were aware. He worked until midnght most of December, just not on a school night. I try to be really pleasant to retail folks now as I know there are KUKOOS out there, just as there were when I worked at Wal-Mart 30 years ago.
Merry Christmas all…we are cooking and baking and my daughter and I are taking turns in the kitchen!
deidre_NC
December 24th, 2010
12:38 pm
MJG i will forward it to you….i hope you have a most blessed christmas….<3 (that would be a heart in fb language lol)
deidre_NC
December 24th, 2010
12:43 pm
MJG i emailed you….lets stay in touch via email too…the picture i posted i stole off of a friends facebook page…i have ton of them…i keep trying to figure out how to make them…i have the codes i just dont have the patience or time lol…have a very merry christmas and god bless you and your family!!
Kate
December 24th, 2010
2:59 pm
MJG – I worked at a drugstore when I was in high school and I can remember those same Christmas Eve shoppers and the crazy stuff they bought! Every Christmas Eve we had them lined up around the store with their arms full of Lady Stetson gift sets and cartons of cigarettes. What great Christmas gifts!
Bluebell Jones
December 24th, 2010
7:23 pm
Oh, what the hell.
Merry Christmas.
Rectal Bleeding
December 24th, 2010
11:51 pm
I take my out drinking. So what? You wanna fight?
deidre_NC
December 25th, 2010
10:51 am
MERRY CHRISTMAS—we have inches of snow here and more coming…..7 plus forecasted!!
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justmy2cents
December 25th, 2010
1:34 pm
FCM- I suggested the cinnamon rolls….did you try them? They are my husband’s favorite, besides the apple cake w/ cinnamon butter sauce I make.
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[...] Should kids go to midnight church services? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Many churches offer very moving midnight services for Christmas Eve. We often went to Midnight Mass when my brother and I were teenagers but never as little kids. I have several friends who take their elementary age-kids to midnight services. They usually [...]
FCM. on my cell
December 27th, 2010
6:07 am
2 cents…i did try them. My mom said to use less flour next time as they were dense. The flavor was amazing though.
Sam i have begun to question why we get presents on His bday too.
tracey
December 27th, 2010
8:02 am
we usually go to the 8 pm service. when my kids were little, if they fell asleep in church it wasn’t a big deal. we just propped them up and kept going. they are 12 and 15 now, so it doesn’t really matter what service we go to. but, it is nice to be snug and warm inside the house.
Samantha
December 27th, 2010
9:20 am
Why is Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp allowed to post in here?
Nothing useful, only insults and making fun of others.
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[...] Should kids go to midnight church services? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Many churches offer very moving midnight services for Christmas Eve. We often went to Midnight Mass when my brother and I were teenagers but never as little kids. I have several friends who take their elementary age-kids to midnight services. They usually [...]