I had the opportunity to listen at 9 a.m.. to the live broadcast from Kings College Chapel in Cambridge,England…..of the live broadcast of the Christmas Eve service from Kings College Chapel of the “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols”.
I do not always get to listen because some years on December 24 our house is full of chattering kids and grandkids but today I was all by myself in the kitchen.
Final cooking for tomorrow’s family dinner was being done…..the cooking of the “rommegrot” (r- (roll the r)–uhm-eh-gr (roll the r) uht) It means “cream mush” or cream pudding but I cheat and make the microwave recipe. It still tastes as good as the “real deal” where you have to simmer thick cream til the buttter “comes out” and then the cream is thickened with flour.
My late brother- in- law Arden used to make it that way and we all would hang over the stove watching him do it and waiting for the butter to come out of the hot cream.
Then I had to make the Norwegian rice pudding…a really festive rice pudding with meringue on top of it.
I also made the cranberry/pineapple salad.
Then there were two pans of homemade caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce for tonight’s homemade ice cream at our son’s and daughter’s in law’s home in Fargo.
Last but not least…waiting for me to do..are the cheese balls that my sons love…we have made them since they were teenagers and now all the grandkids love them as well.
Only then can I sit back and enjoy the afternoon as the sun sets early and the Dec 24 darkness settles in.
The NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS is wonderful. My favorite Carol (Once In Royal David’s City) opens the service with a boy soprano chosen at the last moment before the choir processes into the Chapel….that boy sings..unaccompanied in his clear high voice..the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City. He is joined by the choir and the people in the chapel on the next verses. Then begin the lessons starting with the first prophecy of Christ’s coming in Genesis 3: verse 15. All the Old Testament prophecies of Christ’s comings are read throughout the service with the Carols in between, sung by the all male choir of the college. The final scripture readings are from the Gospel of John, the first chapter where the prophecies come true are proclaimed in John’s Gospel….the first chapter that includes these words:
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
I also love verse 14 of John’s first chapter:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we
have beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father.”
Listening to this broadcast on the morning of December 24 is something I have done for many years…when I can listen..and it surely makes the cooking much lighter work with the Words of scripture read and the beautiful carols being sung.
I wish everyone a most happy and blessed Christmas Eve and Day—however you celebrate. For Christian believers it is a time of gratefulness for the Gift of Grace and Truth sent from the Father—-the most important and best Gift ever given.
