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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: Dec 28 2011 at 5:25pm | IP Logged
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I'm sure this had been talked about before here, but I wondered if anyone goes to Midnight Mass (truly at midnight) with their children. All of your children? Maybe just the olders?
My oldest daughter is in the adult choir and they sang at Midnight Mass. For the first time in my life I went, but my husband and other kids stayed home and we all went together in the morning. Our second sang at that Mass with the chidren's choir.
This created a bit of disjointedness on Christmas morning where I mentioned in another thread our normal Christmas rountine is wake up, stockings, Mass, breakfast and presents. We all got up around the normal time and did stockings, breakfast and some presents, but couldn't finish before having to get ready to go the later morning Mass. We finished afterward and it was really not that big of deal, but I'm looking ahead to next year where the dual choir situation will be the same.
My oldest and I were pretty tired as you can imagine, but I think this may just have to be the case. I'm always tired Christmas Day anyway! :) I didn't not want to go at midnight because this is this particular child's 'thing'. She doesn't do sports or anything spectator-ish, this is it. And, of course, it was beautiful!!
Anyway, rambling now......
Do you go to Midnight Mass? With our without children? Any hints, thoughts, advice?
Thanks!
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Dec 28 2011 at 5:57pm | IP Logged
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We have split up in the past to accommodate the older children's desires to go to the Midnight Mass. It is really too late for our littler ones, so what we have done is take them to the Christmas Vigil Mass (usually 4-5 p.m. on Christmas Eve). Then my dh or I would go with the older ones again to the Midnight Mass. Once they could drive, they went on their own. 
It's not perfect, but it worked pretty well. I used to wonder how people did it for all those generations, but I think they didn't have the same sensibilities or circumstances that we have. They lived in stable communities within walking distance of their churches, and from what I have been able to figure out, just left the younger children home alone in bed.
We have taken the younger ones to the Easter Vigil Mass, which is pretty late and pretty long. It can be done, but it is a bit of a workout for Mom and Dad...plenty of time spent holding a sleeping child  or standing in the back with a fussy one  .
I have never been successful at getting them to nap before these special Masses. I think the excitement of the holiday keeps them wide awake, right up to the instant that they fall apart  .
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Caroline
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roseberyem
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This year (for the first time), we all went to Midnight Mass as a family, our dc ages are 7, 10, 11, 14.
On a few occasions, my dh would take only our oldest to Midnight Mass. Then we would all go to Mass on Christmas morning as well.
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Christine
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I grew up going to the Midnight Mass, that is until most churches changed the time to 10. In 2008, we started going to an FSSP parish and I was thrilled to learn that a Midnight Mass would be offered. Unfortunately, only some of the family made it to that Mass due to snow (our van can't make it out of our street when it is really snowy and icy). Since 2009, we have all been able to go and I love it. I shared our experience on my blog that year.
Last year, my three youngest slept through the entire Mass, and this year, my two youngest did. Midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil Mass are my favorites because I can concetrate fully on the Mass.
While we are at Midnight Mass, St. Nicholas visits our house, placing Baby Jesus in the manger, filling the stockings, and leaving presents under the tree. When we arrive home, the children sing "Happy Birthday" to Baby Jesus and then they open their gifts. After the presents are opened, everyone goes to bed. Some of the children wake around 6 or 7, but my husband and I get to rest in bed. 
My children range in age from 3 to 14 and we are expecting another baby around the beginning of May. They look forward to Midnight Mass each year.
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Christine
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Bridget
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We have done midnight Mass all together and it's beautiful but the next day is so hard. Kid melt downs are hard on mom when she is tired herself and trying to pull off a lovely Christmas day.
Mine are the only children who do not sleep for midnight Mass or Easter vigil. Every other child in our small parish conks out. 
I threw in the towel this year. Took the 4 youngers to the early vigil Mass and my husband took the 4 olders to midnight. The teens love that Mass and they do not ask me for much so I accommodate them for this.
Erica, you could put off the gifts till after everyone has been to Mass. Do stockings, breakfast, Mass then a leisurely gift opening. I cannot see pulling children away from their new gifts. That would be painful.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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JodieLyn
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It really depends on your kids. It works best for us to go to Midnight Mass. My kids are inclined to stay up late anyway and when combined with the anticipation of Christmas Eve they aren't getting to bed all that much sooner if we go to the morning Mass (our only two choices). But my kids will fall asleep during Mass if they hit that point. Though only the 5 and unders slept this year and the baby and 15 mo old slept the least because they do nap.
And after the early Christmas morning.. we have a very relaxed day.. and I try to always have a couple of new movies that everyone can watch under the tree. Then we can spend that mid-afternoon time crashed in front of the tv so everyone gets a rest even if they don't fall asleep.
I was so pleased that this year I managed to be in bed myself only 90 minutes after we got home from Mass. I was still short on sleep but not weaving as I walk short on sleep
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MaryM
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We have mostly always gone to midnight Mass - with whole family, all ages. Growing up my dad always did midnight Mass, then went again with family in morning. As we got to be "old enough" to go with him, we did that. Eventually everyone was going at midnight solely. Since that time, I've always really enjoyed midnight Mass and as my husband's family had done midnight as well, it became our preferred option when we married - so our family just conformed from the beginning. It really is an expected tradition in their minds now.
But my kids are not really close together so haven't had a lot of young ones at one time - that does make a difference. I am embarrassed to admit that as a generally late night family anyway, they can usually handle the extra hours well.
They tend not to wake up really early, or now that they are all older can get up and get Santa gifts (even if everyone isn't up yet). Then when everyone is up we finish up Santa/stocking gifts, eat breakfast and then open under tree gifts from family.
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Mary M. in Denver
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ElizLeone
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For the last two years, we've gone to Christmas morning Mass which is much better for us, at this stage with all our kids. We get up, go to Mass, come home, do stockings, eat a light breakfast, open gifts, then do a big Christmas dinner. The kids are well-rested, and it's been an improvement for us with our wide range of ages and the melt-down-tendencies of our kids when they are sleep-deprived.
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stacykay
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When I was young, I remember going to Midnight Mass a couple of times, but sleeping through most of it.
My oldest boys went one year, but they didn't get home until 2ish (I can't think of any churches around us with an "early" Midnight Mass.) That just wouldn't work for any of us, as Bridget mentioned the kid meltdowns and tired mom. That would be us.
I love going to Christmas Mass on Christmas Day. We generally go to our parish's 12 Noon Mass. My 10yods who has sensory issues loves going with fewer people and noise, and this suits him perfectly. It allows us time to get up, open gifts, shower, and eat breakfast.
I've also noticed a trend in non-Catholic Christian churches in not having Christmas "services" on Christmas Day. I've found that so unusual.
Time to stop rambling; I am working on our next three months lesson plans today... needed to take a little escape!
In Christ,
Stacy in MI
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DominaCaeli
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I read Melanie's post "Why We Go To Midnight Mass" this week. I think she has some really convincing reasons why a family might want to make the attempt to go. I actually just talked to my husband last night about potentially trying it next year. Our five children are all under age six, so I think we may wait a few years before attempting it, but once we do have children old enough to really enjoy it along with us (and be of help the next day ), I think we may make the effort. My husband remembers going to Midnight Mass when he was growing up, so Melanie is right that it certainly makes an impression on the child's mind and adds to that sense of wonder over the mysteries of our Faith. I could see my two oldest loving it, but my two middle children (2 and 1) would have a tough time staying awake, and I can't imagine them sleeping through it either, so I don't know. And I'd probably be outside with the baby anyway.  
My husband actually did end up going to Midnight Mass this year, but that was not our plan; the children were sick, so he went at midnight and I went to our usual 8am Mass while he stayed home with the sick littles. Our usual routine on Christmas morning is early Mass, home for a big brunch and festivities, naps, gifts.
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MaryM
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stacykay wrote:
I've also noticed a trend in non-Catholic Christian churches in not having Christmas "services" on Christmas Day. I've found that so unusual. |
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I've noticed that also. Seems they are all having Christmas Eve services only - saw one billboard near us for 2, 4, 6, and 8 PM services - but nothing on Christmas. But even in Catholic circles around here, the Christmas Eve evening Masses are packed, but midnight Mass and Christmas day Masses are not crowded at all.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: Dec 29 2011 at 10:00pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all for sharing.
I think what I need to do is rethink our gift opening. One additional tricky thing is that we hosted Christmas dinner for my sister's family and some friends, so we had to be done by a certain time, pull the house together and get dinner. Since my parents' divorce a few years back  , we've been hosting. I tell ya, I'm not quite ready to be hosting all the holidays, but that has been the case for a few years now.
Anyway, I thought we could do our stockings on Christmas Eve. We draw names for these and secretly shop and fill. Maybe save some gifts for Epiphany. We're fairly simple about gifts, but the amount of us combined with opening one gift/one person at a time makes for a long (but nice) gift giving time.
I do think in a few years we will all go to Midnight Mass. The dual choir thing will be with us for awhile, though, and my husband declared 'one Mass' on Christmas, thus I went at midnight and we all went the next morning. We'll see..... :)
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Midnight Mass
