Christmas nativity plays are one of my FAVORITE parts of Christmas. I've heard people groan about it being the "same story" every year (of COURSE it is - so is Fiddler On The Roof!). But every group does it a little differently, and I love watching the children age up through the roles.
Many, many years ago, Heathen #1 was a sheep. His first year in the nativity play, Heathen #2 was too small to participate and Heathen #3 didn't even exist! And I remember being mortified when MY SHEEP was the one that wouldn't stand where he was supposed to stand. He was quiet (a small blessing, I thought at the time), but he meandered around the sanctuary and inspected decorations. When it was time to walk to the front with the other children, he flatly refused. During the song he was to sing with the other children, his lips were clenched tightly closed.
Ready to cry in my pew as I juggled a very small Heathen #2, all I wanted to do was snatch up my older child and run from the building. But as I glanced around for the glares I knew I was receiving, I was shocked to see people giggling and pointing and smiling.
No one in that sanctuary cared about Heathen #1's misbehavior - except the Asst. Zookeeper and me.
I remember the following year being a little better and Heathen #1 a bit more cooperative. Then Heathen #2 was old enough to be a sheep and Heathen #1 graduated to shepherd - I spent most of that year threatening Heathen #1 what I was going to do if he hooked his brother around the neck with his shepherd's crook one more time. Turned out, that shepherd's crook was the only reason Heathen #2 didn't wander about. And the congregation smiled and pointed.
The year that the older two Heathens were BOTH shepherds was the year of the battle of the shepherds' crooks - no injuries to report! We used plastic, hollow crooks which couldn't do much damage. Despite the Star Wars light-saber type battle in the background of the nativity scene - the congregation was still smiling and pointing. And telling me at the end of service about how much they loved the "spunk" in my Heathens.
Heathen #3 made his own debut as a sheep and a shepherd when he was old enough. I had a bit better behavior from the Heathens at that point because I was running the play for several years and could provide "momma looks" when needed during practice. But, there were the typical small Heathen antics from that child as well.
As the Heathens have aged through the roles of sheep, shepherd, the wise men, the angel Gabriel, and Joseph, and finally to narrator and stage crew, the Heathens have learned their roles - as well as the story in a way that many adults don't.
This year, the oldest two Heathens were originally on stage crew. However, Heathen #1 was quickly placed on "rogue sheep & angel" duty - trying to keep three small children from escaping the back of the narthex in an attempt to get to the nursery that holds the toys. By the end of the play, he was exhausted - and I was laughing!
Now as we walk into these nativity plays, we try to guess which of the children will be the rogue sheep or the grumpy angel that won't cooperate - and we look forward to seeing them. This year, we had both! And the Asst. Zookeeper and I were thrilled to see them - not only are they adorably cute, but they remind us of the years that it was our Heathens in those roles.
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| Joseph |
The youngest Heathen played Joseph this year - and took his role quite seriously. He did a wonderful job. All of the children did a wonderful job.
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| Speaking with the angel, Gabriel |
But next Christmas, the Asst. Zookeeper and I will still be laying bets on which will be the rogue sheep or the next grumpy angel. It isn't a true Christmas nativity play without them.
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| Grumpy Angel - 2015 |
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She stood where she was supposed to stand.
Then she SAT DOWN and was swinging
her feet. Definitely our favorite part of this
year's nativity play! |
