The last week of November started our Christmas celebrations as we took part in the Belfast Stake Festival of Nativities. This was the first year for the Belfast stake putting on a display of Nativities and a variety of activities. It made for a whole evening of family enjoyment. The cultural hall was filled with the nativities display with the sliding doors to the chapel open. Musical performances from the chapel invited guests to sit a moment in the chapel and watch the silent video Joy to the World, depicting the Saviours birth and using the performances as the background music. Our YSA provided some choir music for one of the evenings. In the rooms next to the cultural hall was a craft room where children could make a Christmas craft,and next door a dress up room where both young and old could dawn a costume and be part of a live nativity. There was a stable backdrop and a manger where costumed participants could have pictures taken. Across the hall was the storytellers room where there were several hands on nativities that children could play with and a rocking chair beside a fireplace. This was my spot for the evening as I read Christmas themed stories to young and old. The Festival was Thursday and Friday evenings from 5 to 9 and Saturday from 10 to 2. Some families would come and stay most of the evening as they enjoyed the different activities. It was a wonderful event and will hopefully be even better attended next year, now the stake have the experience of one year under their belt.

At one of our Monday night Family Home Evenings we shared our Christmas tradition of making chocolate turtles with the little group of YSA who come to our flat for FHE. The sister missionaries joined us for the fun. My biggest regret was that we didn't even think of picture taking until well after the clean up. It felt like an evening of family fun.

Our YSA Christmas social was a fun evening with lots of food and games along with a pause to remember the reason for Christmas and to hear the story of the Saviour's birth. Though the busy time of year took many of our regular YSA off to other activities that night, we had a great showing from the units further away and the night was a great success. The following day was our Young Single Adult Sunday block which we hold once a quarter. We have a Sacrament meeting followed by Sunday School and then Priesthood and Relief Society classes. It is a special uniting experience to have the YSA from eleven spread out units come together for Sunday worship. We then all had lunch together before everyone traveled home.

We couldn't have Christmas in Ireland without attending a candlelight carol service in one of the big old stone churches. We were invited to attend the Belfast Academy Annual Carol service in St Peter's Church. The school choir and band performed several carols with the audience joining in on occasion. .The acoustics were amazing adding to the enjoyment of the performances. The Irish lilt of the students voices as the Bible lessons were read warmed my heart. How I love these people. It was certainly a festive and memorable evening.