Our Christmas Nativity

One of the countdowns to Christmas we are doing is an activity advent where the kids open a bag a day with a different activity. On Monday they were supposed to act out the Christmas story. They threw themselves into it with enthusiasm and presented it to us for FHE. They even rounded up their own costumes, with only a couple suggestions from us. I handed my robe to Caleb, but he was kind of dubious. He thought it looked a little "like a girl." Joseph loved being the angel, but he had problems keeping his halo up. Life imitating art, or art imitating life...?

The cast was: Mary played by Felicity; Joseph played by Caleb; the angel played by Joseph; the innkeeper played by Joseph; and the tiger (yeah, I know) played by Seth. Baby Jesus was played by Raggedy Ann and then for the photos, Abigail.

It was beautiful to see them put it together, no fighting and no need to teach them a script. Felicity even made a star out of K'NEX. I was very proud of my munchkins.
But every performance has a backstage story, and in our case I'm going to share some of the more comical moments, before and during:

Caleb to Joseph: Felicity needs to get a pillow, because pregnant ladies are kind of fat.

Felcity: Joseph needs a hollow.
Me: A what?
Felicity: A hollow.
Me, with a light bulb above my head: Do you mean a Halo?
Felicity: Whatever.

Joseph, practicing: There's no room in the inn!
Seth: Yes there is! [rather indignantly]

Felicity: Seth can be a Shepard.
Seth: NO, I'm a tiger.
Farris: You could be a sheep.
Seth: I'm a tiger. [As you can see, Seth is very firm in his opinions. And, yes, this is why our pageant includes a tiger]

During the performance:
Joseph (Caleb) protectively puts an arm around Mary (Felicity). He then turns to us, somewhat embarrassed, and says: "What! In the movie Joseph does just like this."

Felicity: Here Seth, you can be a sheep with our donkey [she hands him our stick horse]
Seth, taking the horse: No, I'm a tiger.

Joseph, puffed up with the importance of his roll, announces in a loud voice: I'm the innkeeper! There's no room in the inn!
Caleb: But my wife is having a baby!
Joseph: A baby! A baby! [then he dissolves into giggles]

We had so much fun doing this, I think it will have to be a tradition from now on. And maybe next year we can find a robe that's not so "girly."