Christmas mass

[Anonymous]

Our regular church in Falls Church (Catholic) has a children's mass on Christmas Eve, but it is packed and you have to get there over an hour early which is tough with a 2.5 year old. Is anyone aware of other similar services that aren't as packed?

[Anonymous]

Can you have one spouse or other family member go early to save a seat? Then someone comes with 2 year old just as it begins.

[Anonymous]

We never go to the family Mass anymore. I always came away exhausted. Now we go to a much less crowded Vigil or Christmas Day Mass. When my children were toddlers we never tried it - only school age. And that didn't last long!

[Anonymous]

All children's masses on Christmas Eve are packed. In fact, our church requires tickets.

Go on Christmas Day...it's empty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All children's masses on Christmas Eve are packed. In fact, our church requires tickets.

Go on Christmas Day...it's empty.

I don't know of a single Christmas Eve Mass between 4 and 7pm that isn't packed to the gills. We were joking at Mass yesterday that it's always so tempting to skip it on Christmas so the "C&E" church goers can have the place. Always glad to see you, but man, it makes going to church a lot more stressful! Go early. Very early. Some churches will let you save seats but only for so long, so even the second parent and child should be prepared to arrive at least 1/2hr in advance otherwise sooner or later the ushers will simply be having people fill in empty spots in the pews.

We've learned to go early but bring way more entertainment for the little one than we would on a normal day. Get there early and then quietly show the child around. One of you walk up to the altar to see the Nativity scene. Go out in the lobby and bring a non-messy snack. Bring a stack of books, lots of quiet toys and you can talk and play quietly in your pew.

[Anonymous]

My youngest kid still believe in Santa, we do the 7:30 am mass. "God before gifts." come home to b'fast and gifts.

We just do the normal school morning drama rush run out the house and the kids don't really think too much about the gifts.(because I am my normal crazy self to get the kids out the door for work/school - or this day church by 7) Seating is easy and the "non-season ticket holders" (as my priest called it yesterday) are fewer. It does help that I have older kids also.

My parents do the 1pm mass. Also empty, but with more kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you have one spouse or other family member go early to save a seat? Then someone comes with 2 year old just as it begins.

Keep in mind that many churches won't let you hold seats right up until the end. If they have dozens or hundreds of people looking for seats, a whole row of coats spread out isn't going to last. Once pews all have at least someone seated, that's when the ushers will start asking people to make room and squeeze together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you have one spouse or other family member go early to save a seat? Then someone comes with 2 year old just as it begins.

Keep in mind that many churches won't let you hold seats right up until the end. If they have dozens or hundreds of people looking for seats, a whole row of coats spread out isn't going to last. Once pews all have at least someone seated, that's when the ushers will start asking people to make room and squeeze together.

I'm glad our ushers nip that in the bud. No, ma'am, you cannot sweep your hand toward the open space and say you're saving it for 6 other people. Not when seating is at a premium.

Also I was aghast at the number of able-bodied young people (teens, 20s) who sat while senior citizens were left to stand for the whole service. We always give our seats to those who need to sit more than we do.

[Anonymous]

Jew here. This is really fascinating. I had no idea that there was an equivalent to our high holiday service (in the how on earth am I getting a seat sense!) Similar thread also discussed ticketing practices, a long term staple of Jewish life in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jew here. This is really fascinating. I had no idea that there was an equivalent to our high holiday service (in the how on earth am I getting a seat sense!) Similar thread also discussed ticketing practices, a long term staple of Jewish life in the fall.

I'm a PP and would LOVE if our church distributed tickets to regular Mass-goers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jew here. This is really fascinating. I had no idea that there was an equivalent to our high holiday service (in the how on earth am I getting a seat sense!) Similar thread also discussed ticketing practices, a long term staple of Jewish life in the fall.

I'm a PP and would LOVE if our church distributed tickets to regular Mass-goers!

+1

[Anonymous]

Churches should evangelize on Christmas and Easter not act exclusive .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jew here. This is really fascinating. I had no idea that there was an equivalent to our high holiday service (in the how on earth am I getting a seat sense!) Similar thread also discussed ticketing practices, a long term staple of Jewish life in the fall.

The issue for most people is that even for those who don't attend mass every week, most everyone goes at least to Christmas and Easter mass. And you dress nicer for those services.

The problem is that on Christmas day, there is the opening of presents as soon as the kids wake up, then the kids want to play with their toys, and there's a lazy breakfast etc. But with mass, you have to get the kids away from the toys and doll them up, and it's tough on everybody. I remember this particular issue making me resentful of going to mass--sort of the opposite feeling of what the parent is trying to accomplish. Also, these services are longer, which can add to the irritation.

And as a parent, you are scrambling to get the kids etc and then get yourself dolled up; omg no fun.

So somewhere along the line, Christmas Eve became acceptable/allowed, and parents jumped on it. Since many extended families are together at that time, it just becomes a larger family event.

This year we went to Christmas Eve mass (packed, horrible) and then dinner and then had a very relaxing morning in our PJs. For us, it works out better than trying to force a choice between (consumerism+play situation) vs. (religion+formal/long/boring situation).

[Anonymous]

Report: while the children's mass on Christmas Eve was crowded, we felt it was slightly less crowded than usual...assuming lots of folks were home with sick kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Churches should evangelize on Christmas and Easter not act exclusive .

Our church, IMO, was very welcoming at the packed Christmas Eve Mass. Priest welcomed everyone, took a minute to have people greet those around them, during the prayers of the faithful added additional prayers for those there and hope that they'd return.

It was packed, however, and people left in droves after Communion which I found disrespectful regardless of whether they were regular attendees or visitors.