A Scottish Christmas

It was Christmas eve and there was an air of anticipation. The church was decorated with enough holly to make a wreath-maker envious. The Christmas flowers were arranged with perfection. The crib was bedecked with every Scottish cliché to fit with our theme of a Scottish Christmas.

By 4pm the buzz was electric as over 60 parents gathered for our Crib Service and the second showing of our Nativity Play. The stage was set and the performance was worthy of an Oscar or two.  Afterwards all the children gathered on the steps and told me all about the figures going in to the Crib scene.  Hands shot up in the air to tell of the shepherds receiving the good news first and that they were poor people so that is good news for us. Then they were all placed in the Crib amongst our Scottish gifts.

In fact, you couldn’t keep them away for it!

There was no less an atmosphere of anticipation at the midnight service for grown-ups. We gathered in the gloom and it all began with the choir singing Once in Royal David’s City, the candles were lit, (the temperature rose!), and we listened to the story of some shepherds on a hillside being gob-smacked at what they heard.  Yes, our gospel reading came from the Scots Gospel to fit with our theme of a Scottish Christmas. By the time they were ‘dumfoonert’ some titters could be heard.

By the time we came to our last hymn, O Come all ye Faithful, accompanied to the sound of popping Champagne corks, all was well with the world.  And why does that descant always make me cry?

It was a wonderful Scottish Christmas. How are we going to match it next year?