A "Silent Night" solution?

In most of the churches I've attended (and both the churches I've served as a priest) there has been a custom of dimming the lights after everyone has received Holy Communion for the singing of "Silent Night" by candlelight. This was done either with or without the congregation having individual candles. At St Alban's, we don't pass out individual candles.

I suppose there are some people who really love this, otherwise, we wouldn't see such a widespread custom. I find it to be a bit sappy and unnecessary, but I realize that it might be important to others. I think it occurs at an awkward time in the liturgy. Especially with the dimming and then raising of the house lights just for one hymn, the flow of the liturgy seems interrupted by an outside element which is out of proportion to the ordinary of the Mass. In addition, the process of dimming the lights in the building can become a distraction itself if not done smoothly.

I have been thinking about a possible solution--to retain the custom for the people who love it while not interrupting the flow of the liturgy. My thought is to take an approach inspired by the Easter Vigil transition from light to dark. Many churches have a period of music and/or carol singing before the midnight Mass to give people who came early to find a seat something to occupy their attention. My thought was, Why not have the church dimly lit with people holding lighted candles during this period before the Mass?

Liturgically, this would represent the time during the darkness before Christ is born. It could end with the placing of the bambino in the manger (perhaps by a child) and the station at the creche. "Silent Night" could be sung by candlelight just before, during, or just after the station at the creche. The next element would be "Let us go forth in the name of Christ", beginning a solemn procession to the singing of "O come, all ye faithful" to begin the midnight Mass of Christmas.

I am interested in hearing feedback from priests/pastors and from laity. How does this strike you? Have you experienced it this way before? What have you found that works or doesn't work in the past?

For background information, here is the excerpt from Ritual Notes (11th Ed., p 278) on the visit to the Christmas creche:
It is a laudable and widespread custom at Christmastide to erect in churches a representation of the birthplace of our blessed Redeemer; or at least to exhibit a figure of the divine Infant. This figure is generally known as the Bambino; it may be placed in a prominent position on the altar or on a support nearby (but not in the throne of exhibition, or in place of the cross).

At the incensations, it is incensed by the priest standing, exactly in the same manner as, and after, the altar cross. The Bambino is usually laid in the Christmas crib immediately before or after the midnight Mass; or if there is no midnight Mass, then as near to midnight as many be convenient. If it is desired to make a ceremony of this by carrying the figure in procession (with or without lights and incense) there is no law forbidding it, provided that it is not done during the course of Mass.

It is a common custom after solemn services in the Christmas season for the priest in cope, attended by servers, to visit the crib--so many of the congregation can conveniently do so joining in--where popular devotions in honour of the Holy Child are said. If the Bambino is incensed it should be done by the priest standing, although the congregation may be kneeling.