Christmas is indeed beautiful in the Catholic Church! The first Mass I ever attended was Midnight Mass a year ago, and it was amazing. I remember being fascinated by the chanted Proclamation of the Birth of Christ and mystified by the incense, and feeling nearly overwhelmed by the beautiful carols coming from the choir in the loft. I remember thinking it was like angels because it was from behind and I couldn’t see the choir. (I was used to choirs front and center).
And now I am well on my way to being Catholic. My brother is coming to Midnight Mass with me this week!
When I was Protestant, as far as church was concerned, we’d do the Advent wreath with the candles on the four Sundays of Advent, and sing Christmas carols from the first Sunday of Advent through to the Sunday after Christmas. I always thought of Advent as just the church name for the Christmas season. We always had a Christmas Eve service with candles, carols, readings and a sermon - not midnight, and certainly never on Christmas Day (unless it was a Sunday).
