Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 11 - Christmas at Church

This series of blog posts has been inspired by Geneabloggers Advent Calendar to share memories for others in the future.

Throughout my life, I have always involved with a church which made the Christmas period so much busier but fun.

I always loved being involved with the Christmas carol services whether I was doing a reading or playing some music or singing. A Christmas Carol service always gets me into the festive spirit.

As a child, the church I grew up in would have lots of interesting services and events leading up to Christmas. There was:

• Carol service
• Children's nativity play
• The choir would sing a festive musical
• Christmas Day morning service 
• Christmas party. 

Some years we would visit local nursing homes to sing to the elderly residents or perform a little play. 

As I got a bit older I was involved in the church band and choir so there was always lots of things to practice in the lead up to Christmas. 

The church I attend now is very creative and we try to do something different every year with the surrounding community. Last year we took people on a Christmas nativity journey through the park with various scenes acted out along the route. This year I'm involved with the puppets performance of A Bethlehemian Rhapsody, as well as a Winter Fayre with the local museum. There is always a Carol service, Christmas Eve midnight service and a Christmas morning service as well.

A few years ago the adults dressed up as the nativity and we drove round the area on the back of a flat-bed van singing Christmas Carols and giving out chocolate. Lots of fun things for the community to come to and join in with.

Christmas Nativity 2010