Recall those moments when you’ve scrambled to secure tickets for Glastonbury, Taylor Swift or Oasis.
You strategise with friends, set alarms for the sale time, ensure your computer is primed and your credit card at the ready.
This was my experience on a recent Sunday evening, but I wasn’t vying for entry to a major music festival or a monumental band reunion – I wasn’t even after Stereophonics tickets.
My target was the Christmas Eve carol service at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff .
This enchanting event draws crowds, prompting the cathedral to announce ticket sales months ahead.
Last year, I logged on half an hour post-sale, only to find all tickets gone. Determined not to repeat this mistake, I marked the date in my Google Calendar and set an alarm first thing that morning.
The Nine Lessons and Carols service at Llandaff commences as dusk descends on Christmas Eve. The anticipation builds as you approach the cathedral, eager to escape the biting December chill and bask in the warm radiance of the cathedral, surrounded by hundreds of fellow attendees.
The cathedral’s stunning location only enhances its charm. Nestled at the base of a steep incline, much of its grandeur remains concealed until you’re standing atop Cathedral Green, ready to descend the Dean’s Steps or West Hill.
The service of Nine Lessons and Carols comprises nine brief Bible readings, each followed by a well-known carol.
The ceremony begins with a serene tune like Once in Royal David’s City, initiated by a soloist before the cathedral choir and congregation join in, culminating in the stirring Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
When the choir’s sopranos pierce through the congregation for the song’s finale, it creates an unparalleled sound.
After the service concludes, hundreds of individuals, filled with Christmas spirit (and myself often moved to tears), venture into the December night with just a few hours remaining until Christmas Day.
At this juncture, seeking refuge in the warmth of one of Llandaff’s snug pubs such as the Butchers or The Heathcock is a splendid idea.
If you’ve missed out on tickets or can’t attend the carols on Christmas Eve, there are numerous other enchanting carol services to choose from.
One of the finest alternatives, in my view, is the service held in the chapel at St Fagans National Museum of History. This particular service unfolds within the historic Pen-rhiw Chapel, an 18th-century structure originally located in Drefach-Felindre, Carmarthenshire, before its relocation to the museum in Cardiff.
The chapel’s stark yet stunning interior transports you back in time, offering a glimpse into what attending a service here centuries ago might have felt like.
It’s truly remarkable. Merry Christmas.
