In our circles, this is actually controversial

We, unlike lots of Objectivists, take the kids to a Christmas Eve service, though it's always been a Protestant service; I grew up Catholic, and so I haven't felt up to bringing them to a Catholic service yet. But we always find a new historic church that has some interesting architecture, and take the kids to their early Christmas Eve service, to sing the songs and expose the kids to the culture and to the tradition. Last year was the Presbyterians, this year the Episcopalians. Last night, David hit the nail on the head with his choice of church, and it turned out that my favorite baritone here in Rochester happened to be in the choir. I have been working with him a bit this year on various projects, so it was a nice surprise to see him and be able to hear him sing a solo.

We were 10 minutes early, which meant we were late, the church was already jammed. The usher found us some seats in the very front row. So there we were, four atheists with two little girls dressed to the nines in their Christmas dresses, standing and sitting politely at the right times, under the beaming eye of the nice lady minister and the beautiful choir only 20 feet in front of us, who know all the carols by heart but don't say any of the prayers and don't take communion. Madison didn't know exactly what to make of the situation. She listened carefully to the service and the sermon, raising and furrowing her eyebrows at the logic in the Book of John: "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God." She wasn't sure whether it was okay to shake hands for "Peace," even though David and I were heartily shaking peoples' hands and saying Merry Christmas. (Derrick, who had spied me from up in the choir at the front of the church, beamingly gave me the "V" sign for Peace. It was nice.)

We looked so normal. The typical all-American family out for Christmas Eve services, when under the surface, we're these freethinking radical types who are busy analyzing everything that's going on. It makes me wonder what else is not as it seems.

The minister was brainier than most; she was not up to our standard of argument, of course, but in these cases you're starting from a very low standard, so, relatively speaking, she was quite articulate and thoughtful. She talked about some of the discoveries scientists have made about space with the Hubble telescope, and spoke with excitement about the upcoming launch of the Kepler telescope this year. She then did her best to connect it with God and eternity, although that was a little tough. But the point is, she tried. And, later in the car, when we asked Madison what she thought of the sermon, she said it was a little unsettling that something in which she believed so deeply -- science and space research -- was coupled with something she thought was untrue. Ella said that this was the first year that she didn't mind going to church, that she paid attention and understood what was going on.

Then we went out for Chinese food at P.F. Chang's, had a fantastic meal, and went to bed. At least, the girls did. As is also tradition on Christmas Eve, it took David and me a while to finish preparing.