Christmas comes but once a year, and in Oxford it comes jolly early. Respectful of the Advent season, our Chaplain resists the temptation to hold a premature Midnight Mass – as some of his counterparts do – but the festive season is now well underway. The college Christmas trees have been erected and enbaubled, the winter market is in full swing in Broad Street, and on Sunday night we held the first of three Carol Services.

The choir and organist were, as usual, on fantastic form, with a very lively Ding, dong, merrily on high a particular highlight. As someone who cannot hold a note to save his life, I was delighted that several of the carols were embellished with the trademark ornamental descants of Sir David Willcocks, late of King’s College Chapel in Cambridge. As he once explained: “It can be so miserable if you’re in the congregation and somewhere opposite is somebody who can’t sing the tune properly and goes down to the bottom when the notes go too high. A descant covers up that sort of thing.”

The reason we celebrate Christmas so promptly is, of course, that we are now in 8th week and the end of term is drawing near. Most members of our community (of all faiths and none) will be leaving the College to spend the holiday season with family or friends, although some – especially from overseas – will stay in residence. Sharon, the boys and I look forward to inviting any ‘remainers’ to join us in the Lodgings between Christmas and New Year to swap notes on whatever box sets we have been watching.

What of Christmases past at Trinity? The archives shed some light. The pages from the High Table Book below reveal details of the college Christmas dinner in 1886, when the Vice President was accompanied by undergraduates from Australia, Dublin and Walthamstow. Mutton cutlets and roast pheasant were followed by plum pudding and a savoury, with the stewed and fried leftovers reappearing on Boxing Day (showing a commendable concern for the avoidance of food waste that survives to this day).

Looking further back to the founding of the College in 1555, the original Statutes provided by our Founder Sir Thomas Pope set out the offices to be sung in the Chapel at Christmas time. First and Second Vespers on Christmas Eve, followed a very modest meal, then Compline before bed and Matins in the dead of night. Then full processional High Masses on Christmas Day – making use of the vestments, silver and books that he had provided from the spoils of the dissolution of the monasteries. 

Although it is unlikely ever to have been used in the Chapel, the illuminated ‘Abingdon Missal’ is one of the great treasures of the college. The page below uses a wonderful Nativity scene to introduce the Mass for Christmas Day. The ox and ass look cheerful enough, but Mary and Joseph appear rather subdued and deprived of sleep. Whatever you may be doing over this holiday season, I hope that it is a restful and joyous one.