Basel Tattoo

I'm finding it a little difficult to keep my photos with the theme of my advent devotions if you haven't noticed. Sometimes the message is a little more complicated than "angels" or "joy" plus I don't always get to share photos from what I am actually up to!

Today I made an impromptu last minute purchase of a ticket for the Basel Christmas Tattoo. Embarrassingly, this was my first military tattoo having never been to the one in Edinburgh. I was treated to a great festive evening complete with marching bands, bagpipes, roller skating dancers and a rescue mission after Santa was kidnapped! It's less than a fortnight until I head home but it was nice to get a flavour of the homeland.

Day 10: I don't think I saw a single reference to the nativity at the tattoo tonight apart from a singer performing a very overindulgent cover of 'Oh Holy Night', more like 'Oooooooh Hooooooolyyyyyy Niiiiiiight'. It is so easy to be swept up in the other things associated with Christmas, to accept Christ existed and just get on with our lives. The gifts strewn about the stage tonight and under our trees do not compare to the wonderful gift of Christ's life for us from God the Father himself, to save us from ourselves and give us everlasting hope.

"Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we.
Let all within us praise his holy name!"