It’s Christmas Eve but not Christmas yet.

Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent. The fourth candle on the wreath represents the Virgin Mary.

We first keep today as Sunday because the Church always remembers Christ’s resurrection on the first day of the week.

What happened at Easter is even more important than Christmas.

We shall remember the birth of Christ later today. Christmas will creep in during this afternoon’s gathering darkness as the carols are broadcast from King’s College Cambridge.

At about 6pm many will be attending the First Mass of Christmas. Others will wait until Midnight Mass.

In Bethlehem midnight comes at 10pm GMT. Christmas spreads across the time zones as Christians look to tomorrow’s as day of celebration.

Tomorrow is the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas .