A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve.

[IndigoSpritz]

Will you be listening to this ? I will probably still be at work so I must remember a portable radio (the FM radio on my phone isn't much good). Otherwise, I'll have it on at home. I think it's on Radio 4. Once In Royal David's City is my favourite carol.

Yes I love it. I'll prob have it on the telly whilst doing food prep on Xmas Eve....if the kids will let me! I love the obscure carols they pick

Yes, I always listen. Even when I lived halfway around the world and had to get up at the crack of dawn to listen to the live broadcast, I always did. My own private Xmas ritual. No one else in the family bothers, but I absolutely love it.

I think the television version is a different service with a different 'setlist'. I may be wrong but it's ultimately all carols and things from the Chapel of King's College. It's many years since I've celebrated Christmas but I still like the carols.

Yes I think you're right - it's a different service but I think the setlist is the same (could be wrong though!)

Yes, the TV version is different. There was a lovely programme a few years ago about the history of the TV broadcast, including interviews with former choristers (some of whom grew up to be musicians and composers), as well as with the current choristers, choral scholars, and others.

Listening to that is, for me, the start of Christmas. Magical.

I once heard (on radio4) that the chorister leading the procession and singing the Solo is chosen at the last minute. Gives me tingles down my spine.

AviatorShades totally true that the soloist only finds out as they’re lining up to process in. I think it’s so they don’t get nervous! When I was in the church choir as a kid, one of the men who sang bass had been a chorister at King’s as a boy, and one year it was him!

I never listen to it all, but I like to prep the veg for the next day while listening to the first part. In my mind, Once in Royal David's City and peeling sprouts are inextricably linked

I always listen, or preferably watch - with mulled wine and mince pies! To me it's not Christmas without it. We lived abroad for many years - I always had to listen to it on the BBC World Service, which was my lifeline for a long time.
I really love carols, sung properly, that is - not mucked about.

I didn't realise tho, til now, that the TV version is different

So that's why, when I spent xmas with inlaws one year and it was on tele, the magic just wasn't there,somehow.

There again, I sometimes do think that you get better pictures on the radio

And yes, to preparing sprouts while I listen! It's another Christmas tradition