As you may have heard, we had a major snow event in my neck of the woods this weekend. It started snowing late Saturday night and kept up until mid-afternoon on Sunday. All told, I think we got about 18+ inches. That’s a lot of snow, especially when it isn’t even officially winter yet.
But I’m not going to talk about the snow. Instead, I’m going to talk about Candlelight Carols at Trinity Church in Boston.
Dale and I went in Saturday afternoon for the free concert and it was fabulous. We didn’t get there early enough to get great seats downstairs (although we would have if the train we had been on hadn’t broken down and we hadn’t had to get off and wait for another train) but we did get very good seats in the balcony. The church was beautifully decorated and the show started right on time with beautiful carols and harp music. The readings included both passages from the Bible and secular ones and the whole thing was just wonderful. I loved singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” with such a huge number of people and I loved that the church vibrated when the organist really opened up on all the pipes.
But the most special moment of the afternoon came when the lights dimmed and the choir all held candles – when the trees and wreaths all lit up in white lights – when a hush fell over the entire (huge) congregation as the choir sang “Silent Night.”
That’s when it finally felt like Christmas.
And there’s just no better feeling in the world.
Sounds perfect!
What a storm!
Sounds like a beautiful time – glad you got to enjoy it!
That sounds fabulous!
Sometimes it all comes together perfectly….sounds wonderful!
Sounds like a wonderful concert. I attended one at Old South Church last week that was similar — choir coming in by candlelight. It was lovely.
I made the toffee brittle with sea salt and it was fabulous! Thanks for the link!
I know! I know! I weep every year.
It sounds like such a great experience! I’m looking forward to our candlelight service on Christmas Eve. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a candlelight service and I’m excited!
Your house looks beautiful! You could use that photo for your Christmas cards next year.
What a wonderful event! I love Silent Night and thinking about how it was written to be uplifting in that little German church! Lovely!!
Perfect in every way! Enjoy today, Carole!
Oh, wish I could have attended that one. I’ll have to settle for the midnight services at our little church, St. Patrick’s Episcopal. That “silent night moment” is the highlight of my year.
Love the picture of the snow with “Dale for scale”.
That sounds like a wonderful experience! Enjoy all the snow.
Sounds like you both had a great weekend!!! Your home looks so pretty with the snow everywhere!!! I agree with Beth- You could use it as a Christmas card!!
What a wonderful time!
Your house looks so cozy and warm covered with snow. The service sounds magical and a wonderful way to celebrate.
You finally got the snow you wished for…all at once.
It’s amazing out there isn’t it? We must have gotten 24 inches down by us!
I love that magical moment when you can say “I finally got the Christmas feeling”.
That Trinity Church concert sounds really nice.
what a gorgeous photo!
I think that the services at Trinity are some of my favorite memories of Boston….. it must have been 40 years ago that I was there (whoa.. she says.. that’s a long time!)
It’s finally feeling like Christmas
And *your* husband can sing, too! Envy you. Would have loved that service…
Your house looks so pretty in the snow.
That all sounds lovely. The snow really does set the scene and I’m sure that the holiday songs and the candles would complete it nicely.
I think I need something like that. I’m just not quite into the Christmas spirit yet and it’s time for me to get my stuff together and get on board. We’ve had crazy snow this winter – I think we’re on our 3rd month of snow already!
I trust you have — or will certainly get — the CD of Christmas music at Trinity that came out maybe 5+ years ago. It has some “unfamiliar” carols as well as a few basics. I may be Jewish, but I’m devoted to Christmas music, especially the distinctive carols one does not hear in the supermarket! Happy holidays to you.
Looks like my neighborhood! Sounds like we’re going to be getting more… just in time for holiday travel. Darn it.
I need something like that to get me in the spirit! I baked Christmas bread yeaterday while my husband and sons dug the cars out of 24 inches of snow. One of the all-time record storms for us here in Baltimore. My oldest drove home from Michigan through it, and my younger son dug him a parking space at 2 am. It started here at about 10:30 Friday night and snowed till about 8 on Saturday night. It was kind of fun to be snowed in, although it was stressful worrying about my son on the road. Fortunately the stress was for nothing…he got here safe and sound.
That sounds lovely and the snow looks amazing.
The snow is beautiful…
But, what a wonderful experience you had at Trinity…Maybe one year I will go down there for the service…it would be fun and am sure it would get anyone into the Christmas spirit…
this was so lovely! between the photos of snow (we have none here in buffalo, sniffle sniffle, no white christmas) and the description of silent night i feel more christmasy now than i did before stopping by your blog!
Thank you for the mental images, Carole.
It all sounds and looks lovely. Reading about these things makes me nostalgic for Massachusetts (I grew up there) but not enough to move back, just to visit!
…still jealous. ;op