Christmas Time

The Christmas tree is decorated and lit. It sits on the top of our bookshelf so that all can see from the front window. The presents sit nearby around a decorative fireplace. The Christmas crackers sit on the mantle with a picture of all the volunteers. The stockings are hung on the mantle with care. The heat is on to keep us warm. There is even tinsel hanging on our hallway mirror. I certainly have all the material things that I would have every other year at Christmas, except that the Christmas crackers are new. What makes this year different? Family. This year I will be spending Christmas with new families. I will be going to multiple houses which should be fun to see how they celebrate Christmas. The second family I am visiting has two boys 6 and11 yrs. old, 3 dogs and a big fat bunny. That is sure to be mayhem but lots of fun.

While living in Belfast, I have been amazed at how much of life here now just feels so second nature. It has been a running theme between the volunteers that we need to remind ourselves that we are in Belfast. That this is new and different. There are a lot of traditions that are the same here but others that

are quite different. One that I have noticed particularly here at Strand Presbyterian Church is that they don't do the advent wreath or candles. Now the other church that I work with East Belfast Missi

on, which is Methodist, does do the advent wreath along with a lot of other Presbyterian and Methodist churches around Belfast. Many protestant churches would also not do a Christmas Eve service but they would do a New Year's Eve service called a watch service. Now Catholic churches will have a Christmas Eve service and I will be going to a monastery for Christmas Eve and will certainly document the event.

Another tradition around December is pantomimes. I went to a Cinderella pantomime

and it was fantastic. It is for all ages but most families go because it is a big treat for the kids. The fairy god mother and the evil stepmother were both in

drag and that is the mark of a pantomime. There is a lot of audience interaction. For instance when the evil stepmother, Ms. Lush, said "mark my words" the audience was asked to respond with "aye, dead on". I love that they teach sarcasm at such a young age. I was sitting with one of the moms from mums & tots and her husband and son. Her son, Thomas, is two years old and is absolutely adorable, and he just learned the word boo and was probably the cutest thing trying to say boo. He really enjoyed it when you said it back to him. I think it was the facial expression that it created that he liked so much.

Snow has come to Belfast. It has allowed for some beautiful but cold sights! The mountains you see behind the houses are the Mournes where are C.S. Lewis got his idea for the world of Narnia.

PS. yes, you do see two boxed sets of twilight under EBM's christmas tree for gifts for those who are in need this year.