Blogmas Day 11 – Advent mass

I remember grumbling to my parents as they dragged me away from my new toys to sit in a chilly church, repent for my sins and shake hands with strangers.
As I got older we started to attend midnight mass.
This was more like it — I got to stay up late and didn’t have to leave the house, or my presents, on Christmas morning.
Over the years I started to appreciate attending church at Christmas time, as well as throughout the year.
Now, as a mother, I regularly take my son to mass.
We enjoyed our first advent mass on November 27 and my son loved spotting the wreath and candles and I listened carefully to the priest’s words.
I admit I do sometimes find it a struggle to get out the house in time for the 9.30 service, especially when it is the first morning for weeks that my husband has not been working and there for breakfast together.
Sometimes family time wins over attending church.
But my son enjoys going, the fellow parishioners smile warmly when he asks me questions loudly while the priest talks and no one seems to care if he wanders into the aisles to get a better look at things.
It’s a different kind of family feeling.
We may not make every advent mass this year but we will go when we can.