The Christmas Story According to the Children

For the last 14 years, there has been a baby at our family Christmas. Some years, they're lively one-year-olds, capturing everyone’s attention! In other years, such as this one, they are newborns, beautifully symbolizing the vulnerability of the Christ Child when He came to earth as a baby.

Our family tradition is for the baby to play Baby Jesus in the nativity play. Before we open presents, all of the grandkids gather in the basement and get into their costumes before acting out the nativity. This tradition has been around since my childhood. Some of my most cherished yet eye-rolling childhood Christmas memories involve dressing up in a bathrobe with a towel on my head to play a shepherd or hoping I was finally old enough to be cast as one of the three kings! 

Christmas 2024

Returning to the present, Christmas 2024! All the grandchildren were assembled in the basement along with five of the aunties. Four of us took on the ‘mom’ role, assisting our children with their costumes, while the fifth auntie acted as the ‘director,’ coordinating everyone! Assuming the director's role requires a brave soul. I was asked to direct a few years ago, and after 30 seconds in the basement with the cast, I ran upstairs, closed the door, and vowed I would never do it again. 

Even with nephews trading the roles of Joseph and one of the innkeepers last minute, the drama of getting into costume, a wobbly backdrop, and what appeared to be chaos all around, my sister managed to have everyone organized and ready to take the stage! 

All was calm when my oldest nephew began. Mary and Joseph (and the large play horse pretending to be the donkey) took the stage. Shortly after, my sister placed her newborn son in the manger. At just a few weeks old, our newest nephew played the role of baby Jesus. 

Unfortunately, his time on stage was cut short due to the stable cow, played by a busy 8-month-old who just mastered crawling, trampled him. We took our eyes off of him for a second before he crawled right on top of Jesus and gave him a big ol’ kiss! Jesus was removed from the manger and placed in the safety of his mother's arms. 

At least the cow made it to the stable… the stable piggy slept in her auntie's arms the whole time, and the barnyard cat, played by a sassy one-year-old, never made it on stage. Instead, she took her rightful place on my lap as we watched her cousins (and took selfies)! 

My daughter as an angel in the audience

Next came the angels and shepherds! The three angels were dressed beautifully in their white costumes with tinsel accents! Two out of the three girls remained on stage while the third, who happened to be my daughter and youngest out of the three, spent some time proclaiming the birth of Our Lord from the audience.

The shepherd, on the other hand, accidentally rewrote the script. The toddler brothers not only entered the stage too early, but also decided to help Mary out with a few household chores. The year old shepherd brought a toy vacuum along as he and his brother paid homage to the imaginary Baby Jesus since the real Baby Jesus remained snuggled up in his mother's arms.

Unfortunately, the premature entrance of the shepherds caused us to skip ahead in the script. Poor King Herod never got a chance to meet with the three kings and say his line before they made their way to Bethlehem. After singing, "We Three Kings" the four royal actors departed the stage and we concluded with "Joy to the World." And the curtain closed on The Christmas 2024 Nativity Pageant.

Shepherd vacuuming the manger while the Wise Men prepare to pay homage.

I share this story, not to poke fun at the children in my family, but to include you in the love and laughter we experience every time our family gathers. With each new baby that is welcomed into our family, we are reminded that life is a precious gift from God. Each life is important to Him. You, dear reader, are also important to Him. You are the reason the Lord of the Universe came to us as a babe in swaddling clothes, and willingly sacrificed His precious life for your salvation. There is no greater Christmas gift than His unwavering and sacrificial love.

I am wishing each of you a joyful Christmas season and a blessed New Year!

Until next time, your sister in Christ,

Abby