“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” …Luke 2:11-12 (NKJ)
It’s Christmas pageant season. So I’m sure you’ve heard that verse above recited in a church play at some time in the past. At our little church we’ve put on Christmas plays a few times that were different from the Nativity scene pageant, but most of the time we dressed our kids up in bathrobes with towels on their heads and let them act out the recitation of the Christmas story straight from the Bible. Many memories of plays down through the years echo within our church walls. The manger you see here was built by a church member who knows how many years ago. It was already there waiting for each new Christmas play when I first went to the church after I married. My kids got to be shepherds, wise men or angels in the plays. These are church kids doing the play after my own kids were all grown. But the manger is still there. From the way nobody is holding on to Baby Jesus, I’m assuming that’s a doll. 🙂 And one definitely swaddled.
I always loved watching the Christmas pageants at church. I don’t remember being in but one play at church when I was a child and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a Christmas play. But I failed the acting test by having stage fright so badly that my vocal chords froze and I could not repeat my one line. That may have ended my acting career! Oh wait, I do remember being in one more play when I was in first grade. Again, not a Christmas play. It must have been in the springtime since I was a sweet pea flower. I had no speaking parts and just got to stand on stage and bloom. I managed that without problem and for years I claimed sweet peas were my favorite flowers.
Some of those who have been responding to my newsletter also have Christmas play memories that they’ve shared with me. Reading them may bring some smiles and memories of your own.
First here’s Becky who had a bit part in a play the same as I did with that sweet pea flower except she did get to say something.
Years ago, I was a baby doll who walked and talked when someone wound me up in our elementary play. What a bit part but I remember the new pajamas, the girl who had a part like mine, and what I said so clearly (”Mama”)!
This story from Susan is fun too.
When I was a little girl, I was in the play, “The Night Before Christmas.” I was the mouse! Remember this line? “Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” I had to lie under the Christmas tree during the entire play and pretend I was asleep! Needless to say, the part didn’t require much acting skill. I was lucky I didn’t fall asleep for real! My mom had made me a mouse costume for the previous Halloween, so that’s why I got the part.
Now here’s Darlene with a story about a Nativity scene Christmas pageant where they did have a baby playing the part of Jesus.
When I was in my late teens I was Mary in our church’s Christmas pageant . We used a real one month old baby for Baby Jesus. As my mother, the narrator, read “and she brought forth her first born son” this baby cried right on cue . People thought I pinched him, but I can assure you I didn’t!
Last we hear from Laurel.
I grew up attending a very small church in a very small town. Each Christmas, we’d put on a play & it was a much anticipated night for me. After the play, we’d each get a paper bag filled w/ hard Christmas candy, peanuts, etc. And we’d do a small gift exchange w/ our Sunday School classmates. It was always a fun & magical time. I can remember Mom finishing up my new Christmas dress on the sewing machine minutes b/4 we were to leave.
Her memories of Christmas at her church match those I have of my children in the church my husband and I still attend. They did the gift exchange with their fellow Sunday school kids and we still get that extra paper bag treat on our Christmas program night. The bags have an orange, an apples and sometimes a banana along with a candy bar and some mints or maybe a candy cane. I have no idea how long this tradition has been going on at Goshen, my church, but I’m guessing over one hundred years. Our church was established in 1812. So that makes for many years for Christmas pageants and treats.
Thanks for reading. Do you have any memories of church pageants? Ever seen one? Been in one? Maybe directed one?
Winner of Week One
My first winner in December is Marilyn Casteel. Marilyn, I emailed you. As soon as you send me your information, I’ll get your book out to you. All right, so the rest of you didn’t win this time, but you might next. I’ll draw for another winner next weekend. Deadline for entries is midnight EST on December 14th. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You can pick my Shaker Christmas book, Christmas at Harmony Hill (still on ebook sale for 99 cents) or one of my other titles. To enter, you must leave a comment on this post or the one coming up on Wednesday.
Comments 27
Watching little ones in a Christmas pageant is so fun.
Author
I so agree with you, Caryl. That was always a highlight for me. In fact, I put a Christmas pageant scene in one of my Hollyhill books. Summer of Joy, the last of the three. Summer is in the title, but much of the story took place with snow on the ground. And I got to have fun writing about a Christmas pageant and shepherds and angels. Maybe I’ll do another post on Jocie’s Heart of Hollyhill blog about that play.
Always enjoyed church Christmas plays when our two boys could be part of the cast–good memories. Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! Would love to win a print book!
Author
Thanks for coming over to check out my blog post, Lual. Maybe the drawing this week will by your lucky time. If not, I’ll draw for another winner next week. I’m glad you have good memories of church Christmas plays.
Ann … I enjoyed these Christmas pageant memories, and I still remember with fondness the year I got to be an angel in our Church pageant. It was exactly the part I wanted – and I loved those angel wings!! …
And I just finished THESE HEALING HILLS and so enjoyed it. Loved these Appalachian characters and the beautiful scenes you painted of the mountains in Kentucky and that historical time in the past.
Author
Thank you, Lin. That means a lot – you reading my mountain story. So glad you liked my character. I enjoyed finding out about the Frontier Nursing Service and the nurse midwives. Mary Breckinridge was a remarkable woman.
I can’t remember ever being in a Christmas play, but my daughter got to be an angel once. I think that was the part she wanted most too. 🙂
I loved reading all of these Christmas Pageant stories, Ann! Thanks for the smile! 💜Psalm 105💜
My son played the part of Joseph, about 20 yrs. ago when he was about 10 yrs. old. Then about 15 year ago my daughter played the part of an Angel . Many children was involved in this play. & the costumes were amazing. I haven’t seen very many Nativity church plays for awhile . It doesn’t seem like they do them as much. It’s sad that the true meaning of Christmas is slipping away .
Author
We can hope that the plays at the churches and the songs sung will keep our hearts and minds focused on the Greatest Gift, Jesus. It’s great that your children had the opportunity to take part in a Nativity pageant. Good memories for them and for you. Just hearing the Christmas story read out of the Bibles can add so much to the Christmas season, Jolynn.
Christmas programs are another annual tradition of my church. I was six-years-old in the first Christmas program I really remember. As I sat on the front pew awaiting my turn to recite my poem, I grew more and more nervous and felt more and more sick. The pastor’s wife found me hunched over in the bathroom a few minutes later. I never did say my poem that evening, but that was first and last time I was ever able to skip out of a Christmas program. For the next 13 years, I participated in every one of them. In 2017, when I was 20, I directed my first Christmas program at my church, which was both fun and stressful at the same time! Currently, I’m preparing for next year’s program also. So there has definitely been progress from when I was an anxiety-ridden six-year-old!
Author
We do usually advance and conquer if we keep trying, Elizabeth, and sounds as though you kept trying and using your talents. And now you’re keeping the tradition going with new kids coming along. At least, you will be understanding if any of the kids in your plays have that stage fright anxiety.
Our church Christmas program and fellowship supper has always been a special night in the history our church.
Author
I think traditions are important in churches, Janice. Our church has had Christmas plays since forever, but we didn’t start doing a Candlelight Service until the pastor we have now came to our church. Of course, that’s been over thirty years now. So, it’s an established tradition now. Instead of a Christmas dinner we started having a Thanksgiving dinner a week or so before Thanksgiving.
We always got those paper bag treats too in the church I grew up in. It’s funny to hear it now, but these bags were called “pokes” instead of bags, that was the language used by the N.C. foothills people at that time.
Author
Pokes is mountain or country talk for a bag, Connie. I’ve used that in my mountain stories. You’ve got some Appalachian reaching down through North Carolina too, don’t you? But a poke full of goodies is something worth having. 🙂
We always got a treat in a paper bag at the Christmas play too. Usually the little ones said a little poem they had memorized.
Author
I guess those paper bag treats were a tradition at a lot of churches. When I first started going to our church, they would wrap rubber bands around the paper bag. Even as an adult I was always hoping I’d get a favorite candy bar. I have such a sweet tooth.
I remember one of the ladies giving me a paper with four lines on it and me running to my oldest sister and said “Can I learn this?” I was happy that she said yes. That was my part of the christmas program.
Author
That’s such a cute story, Loretta. Love the big sister assuring you that you could do it.
We went to our Christmas program this afternoon. We both were wondering how it would be since we have a new minister of music who started last January. Well, it turned out to be one of the best ones yet! Drama and music were superb! When I am moved to tears it’s good! Thank you Ann for sharing your gift of writing with your readers. Because of that we are all winners whether we receive a book or not! Merry Christmas! 🎄😊🎄
Author
I’m glad you had a great Christmas program. Sounds as if your new minister of music knew exactly the kind of program to present. Tears and those holy goosebumps are a good indication of how good a song or program or story might be.
You’re so sweet to say that about all of you being winners. I’m the winner here with you all reading and commenting.
Growing up, our church didn’t have Christmas plays but we did learn verses to recite at our Sunday School Christmas program. “And the Angel said unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” is the one I remember reciting.
That is still among my favorite verses.
Author
You made that a heart Scripture, Lisa. I don’t know that we memorize as many verses as we used to with no many different translations to see the same verse written in different ways. But committing Scripture to the heart is a good thing. I remember the verse we used to teach the Beginners first was “God is love.” That’s one verse that’s the same in all versions.
As an adult teacher, the faculty decided to put on a Christmas program to entertain the students. My part was to be a baby, so I had to wear footed pajamas and suck on a huge gag pacifier. The music teacher made an adorable paper bonnet for me. We acted out a Christmas story narrated by the music teacher while the students and their parents laughed hysterically. It really was fun!
Author
That is so fun, Suzanne. I think it’s good to turn the tables every once in a while. You no doubt made an adorable baby.
Thanks for sharing the Christmas pageant article. This seems to be a lost art in many churches with more contemporary services. Sweet, sweet memories of Christmas.
Author
Sometimes the old-fashioned, simple things are best, Debra. But I like all the Christmas plays. Still that Christmas music that we heard growing up still sounds more like Christmas to me.