Across the UK right now, schools are preparing for the Nativity Play. The little ones in the first few years of school usually perform the play. I think the mentality of the teachers is that the younger they are, the more entertaining it will be for the parents. The more opportunities for mistakes and humiliation, little ones fiddling with things they shouldn’t and sticking their fingers up their noses while pretending to be the Virgin Mary or a Wise Man.
As my sons spent their first few years in an English school, we have already completed this rite of passage. And I’m so grateful that we did. We have the requisite video of our youngest son doing a very enthusiastic dance, dressed as a caterpillar, in the middle of the stage. Proud mother that I was, all I could think was ‘please stop and exit the stage like everyone else.’
The boys have been sharks, parrots, caterpillars and other various insects or animals that, really, you would think would have no relation to the Nativity Play. However, teachers do like to challenge themselves at this time of year and see what additional elements they can add to the story of Jesus.
It all comes down to the same result, everyone/thing is welcome at the stable.
Not only do the teachers have to stretch themselves with what to add into the play, parents are given instructions to make a costume, which can alternatively be a delight or a dread depending on your attitude to crafts. For me it was a complete dread especially when you turn up for the play and some Uber Mummy has made genuine merino wool shepherds costume with matching mittens. Or some other parents have a spent a fortune on a shop bought costume. We would always be somewhere in the middle, homemade, but not spectacular by any means.
If you’re preparing for your Nativity Play this year, I highly recommend Horrid Henry’s Christmas Cracker. There’s an excellent description of a play, it had me in stitches.
Here in California we have a Holiday Program to attend. Lots of jolly songs about Santa (and a hippopotamus this year, apparently) without any mention about why we’re celebrating this holiday. I find that a little strange, I understand the separation of church and state but it does feel odd to have all the signs of Christmas without any mention of God at any moment.
Oh, and Father Christmas is flying in by helicopter on Monday to visit the children. What did you expect…a sleigh?
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Well this year we have no School Nativity because a new school is being built and it is not yet ready. When this announcement was made, we, the parents made a collective sigh of relief! However Eleanor has already made me buy an angel costume ready for next year, because all girls generally end up as angels with as much silver tinsel on their costumes as possible!
I’m so glad I haven’t had to do a costume yet! My son has come home requesting a black T-shirt, but that is all. Phew!
A helicopter sure is different.
My first grade daughter will be participating in her first nativity play this year. They’re making all the first graders be angels – which is not typecasting if you know this group. Personally, I felt that auditions were in order. But I was told I’m “missing the point.” I’m delighted that the costume issue is being handled by the church. Especially after last week’s Thanksgiving Pageant fiasco where we made the huge mistake of not purchasing some sort of Amish-type of footwear and allowing my daughter (Pilgram #1) to wear her pink converse on stage. Honestly? I guess I keep “missing the point.” But if this keeps up I’m going to find a sharp stick and someone else is going to “get the point.”
I haven’t had to do this yet, but I know I’m going to be useless -I can’t sew to save my life….We’re going to see Santa lighting the local Christmas tree this weekend, wonder if he will arrive by 4×4?
Funny it’s exactly the opposite when you grow up in America and then move to England, it’s “How can they be so Jesus-centric in this country?” I find it really challenging and uncomfortable to live without separation of church and state!
Tea-towel shepherds and tin-foil angels were a staple of my early Christmases too. Have you been able to find a good ol’ English pantomime in the US – I never could.
(Had to chuckle at the above comment suggesting the UK is Jesus-centric.)
I was originally shocked when I learned that Nativity plays were performed at public schools in the UK, because that’s just so controversial and alien to us here in the US. (For example, there was a huge brough-ha-ha over our US “Pledge of Allegience” that we used to say every day in school because it had the words “One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”) Having said that, imagining sharks, caterpillers, and parrots — along the lines of “Love, Actually’s” lobsters — it sounds adorable to watch.
MY kids had all their schooling in this country so I missed out on the UK Nativity Play. What springs to mind regarding our countries’ differences in approach to the celebration of Christmas was a trip to one of the more ‘popular’ churches on Christmas Eve with my ‘mother in law’. At one point dancers came up on the stage (in a church?) and performed a sort of ‘can can’ disco dance. I looked at Maisie who is a regular church goer in England and she had turned beetroot as had I! It seemed so inappropriate that we were speechless.
My ex husband was a socialist and strongly anti-religion. He was very critical of the United States re: religion. He grew up in Northern England and I reminded him that in his country Nativity plays were still performed in state schools. I’m not sure if prayers are still part of the morning assembly. During his time, (1960s and 70s) prayer was still part of his school day. My question– are prayers still part of the school day in England? I’m just curious. I don’t have a problem with religion in the classroom, as long as all religions are included…
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