For your diary 
For most of us December 25th won't be a working day, but for some it is one of the busiest days of the year. Thanks to Carolyn for the following article.
Before moving to Harvington, I was part of a team of staff at St. George's School, Windsor Castle caring for the Choristers in the boarding house. The boys ages ranged from 7-13 years. It was a very enjoyable job, the boys lead a very varied life and their role as choristers is important, most play two instruments and spend a lot of time between school and chapel and the run up to Christmas if hectic but fun. Christmas holidays do not begin until after morning service in chapel and lunch at school with parents and staff.
Its not fair, its 6:45 in the morning and Matron has switched the lights on and is walking through the dormitory waking us up. Perhaps if I slip further under the duvet she won't notice me - oh yes she has and she's heading this way! "Matron its cold in here again and its not fair because we were late to bed last night, as a group of us older choristers went up to sing before the Queen. Is this a pair of odd socks- again, and where are my shoes?"
Washed dressed and now off to music practice. Odd notes coming from everywhere.
8:00am I can hear the bell, breakfast- I'm starving, it better be egg and bacon. All right I am hurrying my breakfast, as I know its time for song school and those hundred steps to climb from school to chapel.
9:00am Rush, rush rush, all we do is rush or we will be late for lessons down at school. Eh maths again.
10:30am Break, at long last biscuits and drink. Matron will want us to have fruit again, because she says it is so good for us.
More lessons, then lunch. Friday so its fish & chips, wonder what's for pudding? Great games this afternoon, and its football, I can get wet and dirty as its raining.
Shower, get my dirty kit to the laundry quickly or Matron will be shouting. Then off for a drink and cake, a few minutes to spare before were off to chapel, and up those hundred steps again.
6:00 pm - Back to school for supper, were in the bad books, our singing was not very good, we've got sore throats and are tired with all the concerts we've done over the last few days with Christmas coming. At last! An evening off, house master has got us a video to watch, after prep is done.
10:00pm Should be in bed by now, but long video, it was good. I know Matron is looking for me, I need a gargle for my sore throat, horrible stuff, she says it works!
And so to bed and when the lights are out, we can mess around, if we don't get caught out. Oh to be a chorister!
Carolyn
When I was a child, Christmas meant presents, homemade decorations and a fully laden tree,
Sparkling lights, tinsel strands and hot mince pies for tea.
When I was a teenager, Christmas was sad and stark for me,
My family torn apart - Christmas meant nothing to me.
As a young woman lonely and rudderless, I spent Christmas as a spectator,
At the parties of friends trying to share family cheer with me, the
Christmas hater.
Then I got married, I changed my life, became a Christian and started my own family,
I began to bake pies, decorate a tree - Christmas became precious to me.
And now, many years later,
Still a Christian and still a Christmas partaker,
I love all that Christmas means to me - new life, loud happy families,
Giving thanks with my friends, sharing mince pies and decorating our
Christmas tree.
Sharon
Sparkles on the tree!
Nathan age 4
My most special Christmas was the first Christmas I spent as part of the church. It meant so much to me because I realised how special Christmas really was, what it really means and that its not just about giving and receiving presents.
Hannah
This is what Christmas means to me today - eating too much, stress, over exposure to Christmas plays, cards and decorations in late November, so that I feel 'Christmased' out before we even get there!
How is it that we've moved so far away from what Christmas is about? Every year I promise myself that next year will be different.
Jayne
There are magical moments at Christmas which are different from any other time of year. My favourite magic moment as a child, was in the small hours on Christmas morning, waking to find white net and red crepe paper stocking bursting with goodies ! I relived all this when our children were small, buying the gifts and novelties and stuffing them into stockings. Then later I would creep along the landing and put my head around the doors to watch the joy on their faces as they unpacked them.
Middle aged Christmases are different. Our sons are Big Men now and past all that. Most Christmases recently, peter and I have bought our own presents and handed them to each other on Christmas Eve to be wrapped and handed back to each other on Christmas Day. Last year, I rebelled and told the family this was FAR TOO TAME and that we really had to recoup the surprise element.
The real magic for me now, is nothing to do with presents at all. It is when I get up in the dark at 7 am on Christmas morning. Downstairs in the lounge the smell of pine from the Christmas Tree pervades the room as I switch on the tree lights. Then I take my tape recorder into the kitchen. As I put the turkey in the oven, and prepare the vegetables, I listen to a tape of carols sung by the Cambridge singers. The tape was given to me some years ago by Mum and Dad, and the singing is some of the most beautiful I have ever heard.
As the choir tells the story of Christ's birth in song, I focus completely on why we celebrate Christmas each year. In the words of John Benjamin's lovely poem;
And is it true? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent,
And hideous tie, so kindly meant.
No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple shaking bells
Can with this single fact compare
That God was Man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.
Chris
A time of giving and receiving, a time of joy and peace, a time for families and friends, a time for happiness and love.
Alternatively........a time of war and strife, a time of hatred, a time for people to be forgotten and alone, a time of despair and misery.
Hopefully your Christmas will be the first scenario, but even in our own community some people will suffer the second situation.
In your celebrations remember those not so lucky as you and say a prayer that they may also find their own peace and be aware that God is there for them always.
Janice
For my most memorable Christmas I must take you back nearly sixty years when I was serving in the Royal Navy on board a destroyer. My first Christmas was spent escorting a convoy in the Mediterranean and no celebration was possible. The following year peace had broken out and no longer were our lives threatened by bombs, torpedoes or shells exploding. We were moored in French Creek, Malta and could celebrate the birth of our Lord in true naval fashion. We held a church service on the forward mess deck and the carols were sung as only sailors could sing them, with gusto and not very tunefully! But it was a moving service which I enjoyed tremendously.
Following tradition, the youngest rating on the ship became captain for the morning, wearing the requisite uniform. The skipper was six foot while the rating was about five foot nothing, we had to turn the trousers up to his knees and the sleeves up to his elbows, but he carried out his duties as best he could. The skipper wore the ratings uniform and was conducted to the defaulters table where a long list of crimes was read out and found himself sentenced to 56 days in the cells - Not enforced!! I cannot remember if the sumptuous meal that followed was turkey or not, but it was a change from the corned beef sandwiches we had when closed up at action stations.
Coder B.J. Taylor MD
PJX734583
And another..
During the 1939-45 war, when the black out was on, my husband and I and my mother always went to the midnight communion service at All Saints Church in Evesham. The church would always be full, and lit by candles on the ends of the pews. It was a very moving and emotional time, and those war time Christmases were very special.
Connie Hughes
Do you remember...
Christmas 1944 was sunny and frosty. Rations were increased for the month. We were given a joint of pork from a local farmer, so invited Phyllises mother and uncle to dinner.
Fred
I think of how I used to worry, because I had thirteen sitting down to my table on Christmas Day! My husband, parents, in laws, my eldest son Roy, all who have now gone to that better place above and are now in 'Gods gentle care'.
There is never a day goes by when I don't think of them all, and the love we shared amongst us. I know they are waiting for the time when we can all be together again in Gods garden.
Love to you all Irene.
I suppose my best memory of Christmas was in 1946. The war had just ended and two of my uncles John and Roland had returned from the marines (John was still in his uniform and looked very smart) where they had been serving in the far east. I remember Uncle john gave me a hand carved black wooden elephant which I still have today (minus tusks!) He had picked up in Ceylon. My Uncle Rolly presented my sister and I a banana each which I couldn't remember ever having seen before. We all gathered in the drawing room at my grandmas old victorian house and my Uncle John played the piano and we had a sing song.
Paul
Thinking of Christmas, my thoughts go back a long way to Christmas 1950. This was going to be a very special one as we had moved three months previously into our brand new house in Ragley Road, which seemed like a palace to us. As this was our first Christmas in our new home, we decided it would be the best ever - but sadly it didn't happen. Barry, at eight months old was taken seriously ill with breathing problems. We rushed across our other two children to our friend Connie and took the baby to hospital. His only chance of survival was tracheotomy, and it took a lot of phoning around to find a doctor who was available to perform the operation. After a seven hour wait we could go home. Fortunately, Barry made a good recovery, although our 'special' Christmas became a worrying one. A week later Robert, then eight years old, joined his baby brother in the ward for an emergency appendectomy! So that is one Christmas I will never forget
Jan
Christmas for me used to be an exciting time - a warm glowing anticipation; darkening evenings, glittering school display boards, art, craft - all pointing to the coming event. That has changed now - I'm 'grown up'; I have a time consuming job, I don't seem to have the time to think about it all anymore. Being brought up in a Christian family I have 'known' about Jesus from an early age - I cannot remember a time when Christmas did not include a mention of Jesus - well, at least in carols or church services. Yet I find that, now the excitement and glitz of Christmas has fallen away, I have never really appreciated its truths and importance.
Writing for the newsletter though, I find myself considering what Christmas does mean to me - really for the first time - and I cannot rationalise the importance of baubles or even Santa!
Around 2000 years ago in a backwater in the Middle East, God moved. It was the start of a sacrifice, the greatest expression of love that has, and will, ever be shown on this earth.
God's son was born as a human baby in lowly circumstances to an undistinguished yet faithful and receptive young woman. She was a virgin - there was no human father - the child was both God and man. Yet despite the child's awesome divinity he was born only to be sacrificed - to die as God had intended. In this way through his son (Jesus) the human race could be reconciled to God. His only son, perfect and sinless, was allowed to die in our place - because of God's love for us.
I find that this is what Christmas is about; a celebration of God's divine plan for us - his wondrous unfathomable love realised in Jesus' miraculous birth, death and resurrection.
Michael
The snow was deep and crisp and even on Christmas Eve in 1981. A tradition had built up of a group of us going Carol Singing each Christmas Eve round the village of Brook near Ashford in Kent. The group consisted of a wide age range from older grandparents to small children. Tim was 10, Pippa 8 and Penny 4 at the time, my Father was staying with us and in the party. Hugh was working at the Garden Centre till late and in any case was not enthusiastic about Carol Singing!
The village was small with about 160 houses but spread out beneath the North Downs and back along another small lane with scattered houses, The route covered between 3 and 4 miles. That year East Kent had had a very impressive fall of snow so it was a real Christmas card scene. We carried lanterns and sang at nearly every house. We didn't usually collect for anything, just sang for the joy of it, but that year that there had been a Life Boat disaster in Cornwall at Mousehole. The Penlee life boat was lost on 19th December while trying to rescue the crew of the Union Star, so we collected for the families concerned and raised an impressive sum! We disturbed one lady in a very isolated cottage fresh and steaming from the bath, she was wrapped in a towel which the children thought great fun. We slithered and slipped our way round and in one place could only just get past a 5 foot wall of snow.
Several stopping points were arranged where we had coffee and mince pies. Those Christmas Eves were really great, if exhausting, and that snowy one, particularly memorable
Liz
Fred read this at chapel new year party last January
A married man is someone who for most of his life
Is ruled by his mother and then by his wife
But now that he is no longer alone
He soon finds out his life's not his own.
He can no longer wear old jackets or bags
On Saturday night go out with the lads,
He cannot now make his own decision
But first must ask his wife's permission.
He can't watch football along with his pals;
Although they look lovely, mustn't chat up the gals
Soon finds life is not all sweetness and honey
When he learns that his wife wants most of his money
Would like to go as usual on holiday to Spain,
But his wife says "Were not going there again,
The noisy crowd would drive me potty,
I've decided that were going to Lanzarote
Though he'll miss his mates, the fun and the beer,
He quietly answers "Certainly dear!"
That peaceful state doesn't last for long
When the first baby comes along
Sleeps all day, at night awakes
Surprising the din a baby can make.
Wife is able to get him back to sleep all right
But when its his turn, it stays awake all night,
But he's happy, he'll soon be a boy again
Playing with his son with an electric train
But cheer up chaps its quite a nice life
With a happy family and a loving wife
What is share prayer together?- It is an opportunity to come together and pray.
Why prayer?- There are many needs and concerns within our community and further afield, which as Christians we should bring together before God in prayer.
Can anyone join in? - Most certainly yes, you don't need any special gifts, you don't even need to pray out loud, but can sit quietly and pray.
How often do we meet?- Approximately once a month
When's the next one?- 9th December- 8pm (for about an hour, finishing with cup of coffee). Dates for next year to be arranged-watch this space.
Where?-65 Village Street-Do hope you can join us.
Mel and Carolyn
For your diary Sunday 21st December Carol service with handbell ringers
Monday 22nd December carol singing around the village in the evening, time to be announced
Saturday 24th January villagers supper with DI Timothy Nunn talking about his work and the impact of his christian faith upon it. Tickets available from Liz or Mel and Carolyn.
As its that time of year again, heres one to make you think, but hopefully not too hard!!! Answers in box in porch please.
Three prizes, one for those under eighteen, one for visitors who may be looking at questions for the first time the day answers given, and one for the rest of us, which this year is a Christmas hamper. Prizes given out during coffee after carol service on Sunday 21st December.
1. Who invented the Christmas cracker? OK I'll make it easy for you with an anagram oTmtShitm
2. Which saints day is celebrated on 26th December?
3. How many birds, in total, are mentioned in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas?
God TAKES my yesterdays
He KEEPS my tomorrow's
He GIVES me today
And in the miracle of it all,
He promises me an eternity with Him!
December 2003