to take kds to midnight mass on christmas eve

[sickoftheholidays]

My sister has asked me to go to the christingle service with her at her local church this christmas eve, and then for tea afterwards, but I want to go to midnight mass with the kids (4yo and 6yo)I have politely said no to christingle as we are going to midnight mass and I think it would be too much for the kids twice in a day, but that we would love to see her afterwards for tea.
She thinks I'm mad for wanting to take kids to midnight mass, and thinks we should go to christingle instead.
Am I bonkers for thinking a 4yo and a 6yo who both go to church regularly so know how to behave in there, and who both love Jesus and are excited about celebrating his birthday (and of course santa coming and all attendant gifts LOL) will be quite fine at midnight mass actually? They have been up at that time on holiday and managed ok.
I dont really want to go to christingle as we will be going to the christingle service at our own church the week before, and also, the church in question is packed to the rafters standing room only for the christingle service as its nice for the kids etc etc.
The other reason I want to go to midnight mass is that I want to begin the celebration with my church family, at midnight, and not sardined into church with some random bunch of strangers (obviously my sis isnt a random stranger lol) half of whom dont even believe in God but who turn out cos its a pretty church and the candles look lovely all lit up etc etc.
How do I get this point accross without getting upset? Its really important to me, but my Dsis doesnt get it as she isnt really religious.

If she doesn't get the religious angle, how about stressing the "seeing our church friends" aspect of it? Specially if you won't be going again in the morning. Or, even if you are, you can point out that some of your church friends won't be so you want to see them at the evening one.

If she can accept that, then the "not going twice in one day" will seem sensible to her, as presumably going once is enough church for anyone

But stress how nice it will be to see her and the DC for tea, so she doesn't feel left out?

I'd go to Christingle with such young children-it is so beautiful and for the children.By midnight they will be so tired.I'd do Christingle and Christmas morning Mass myself.

Do yours still do midnight mass? Round here they've all had to move it to 7/8pm to avoid drunken idiots gatecrashing

I think it will be a long evening for the kids to stay up til midnight and they'll be overtired and horrendous on Xmas day
my mum used to go on her own, she loved the peace of it

I wouldn't take mine. It would be too late for them and it would ruin the next day.

narky - that's really sad that they've had to stop them because of idiots. I was once at a midnight mass service with a drunk guy who kept dropping his hymn book etc, and when we came to the Peace tried to hug everyone and really stank of booze, but his heart was in the right place and he was no bother!
Personally I would take kids to a Christingle service. I have lots of happy memories of children's services on Christmas Eve, and it always felt like night time to me (though was about 5pm). Then by the time we'd had tea it was bedtime and 'straight to sleep because Father Christmas is coming!' It was so exciting! Personally I would rather do that for my own children than drag out Christmas Eve evening and make them stay up until a really late service. They will be tired yet very excited so will probably still wake up early and then may very well be cranky all Christmas Day. My opinion would be to take them to the Christingle, and then to another servie on Christmas Day morning. But they are your kids, so it's up to you and never mind what your sister says.

We are doing christingle the week before in our own church, so they wont miss out.
DH and I would love to go on our own, but have no baby sitters, and my 6yo now takes communion and will want to do that at the midnight service. They dont have communion at the christingle.
Also, I cant do the christmas morning mass as we are having my parents for christmas dinner at my house, so I will be busy cooking.

The children will enjoy Christingle more than Midnight mass when they'll be tired.

btw, we do get folk who are a bit the worse for drink at our service, but as long as they are in the general spirit (pardon the pun) they dont tend to be any bother.

We used to go to midnight Mass when I was little and it was lovely- I remember coming out of church once into newly fallen snow, which was really magical.

I'd take them.

Will they not be wrecked tired on Christmas Day if you take them to midnight mass? Is it not a really long service - much longer than normal mass?
Its up to you though....it seems important to you so do what you want.

Go to midnight mass. Your family, your friends, your belief, your choice.

Maybe make the children have a nap earlier in the day? We always did and the plus side was we then woke up later on Christmas morning.

Not that kind of drunk Sims2fan. More groups of people who are attracted by the noise coming in and screaming obscenities or throwing up.

Mine would be grumpy the next day if they stayed up that late, especially as they're always up very early on xmas morning.

I always went as a child and loved it. It was part of our christmas tradition.

I'd do midnight mass. They might actually sleep until a civilised time on christmas morning and you will all be better for it.

What time do you get home then and get the kids in bed?