A Covid carol concert? No, thanks

To imagine that the Church of England could contemplate effectively cancelling Christmas may sound like the stuff of Dickensian melodrama or scripted out of the Grinch. Of course, not even the Pope has the power to erase the 25 December. But this year’s church celebrations could be so muted that Christmas effectively becomes a minor feast. Just as exhausted people need their spirits lifted, toning down Christmas could be the final straw. Oliver Cromwell would be delighted.

None of this might seem plausible, of course, until you consider the heavy handedness of church authorities during the initial lockdown. Parish churches were closed, even for private prayer, and vicars were banned from entering. While essential shops stayed open, it seemed that deep cleaning pews was beyond our volunteer capacity, unless the holy site was doubling up as a food bank, of course.