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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect a proper nativity play?

47 replies

ilovehens · 02/12/2010 21:51

Last year ds2 was in some sort of Christmas Play, something about Rudolph the Reindeer and his friend Ralph. No nativity play. This was in Reception, he is now in Year 1.

ds1 attended the same school and has just left and they always did a proper nativity play and had the traditional songs like Little Donkey and Oh Little Town of Bethlehem etc. The school also put up nice Christmas decorations and the hall looked festive and cosy.

I have just attended ds2's 'nativity' play today and it wasn't very good. No Christmas decorations, just some tree in the corner, the play was about a star and was very disjointed and confusing. There was no atmosphere or anything. The children sang their songs and did very well, but it just didn't feel right and it could have been any play at any time of year.

Perhaps I'm old fashioned, but I just think that the traditional songs make it so nice. ds1 attended as well due to his secondary school being closed and even he was disappointed and confused as to why they don't do a proper play anymore.

I'm not a religious fanatic, but just think that it's a shame things have to be updated to the point of not being recognisable.

I know I'll probably be flamed by the secularists, but this isn't a religious argument, just a point about traditions really.

OP posts:
Imarriedafrog · 02/12/2010 22:19

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iloveblue · 02/12/2010 22:30

DS1 is in Year 1. His play this year is called 'What Christmas means to me'.
His class's section is about Cliff Richards (but he's called Rich Cliffords)!! They are dressing up in jeans and white t-shirts, and are doing a very cool dance routine (think hand-jive Xmas Smile).
I can't wait to see it Xmas Grin.

He did say Little Donkey is in there somewhere though.

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 02/12/2010 22:39

oh I agree the Out of the Arc are fab. We had Christmas with the Aliens at church last year, and this year is Children of the World I think?

But - I think it sounds like the OP's "nativity" play didn't contain anything of the Nativity at all???? Which I do think is a shame - especially if it's advertised as a Nativity play!

MrManager · 02/12/2010 22:50

The 'tradition' of a nativity play is more of a Sunday school thing surely?

And what's so wrong with a 'non-traditional' play? Better to teach the children with a play with some message or lesson to learn, rather than just teaching them 'these are the facts of what happened'.

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 02/12/2010 22:58

But a Nativity is about a birth........

I don't have any problem with a non-traditional play" (and btw if you've ever seen some of the Out of the Arc ones they're anything but "Traditional" Grin) - but if you're going to do a Christmas play and not a Nativity based one then don't sodding well call it a Nativity - as it's blatantly not!

I can't actually remember the last time we had the bog standard Nativity play in our church....

pointydog · 02/12/2010 23:00

Isn't it Out of the Ark, since we are talking about tradition adn religion here.

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 02/12/2010 23:04

\link{http://www.outoftheark.co.uk/shine-star-shine.html\this is the Out of the Arc} one about the Star. Was it that one OP?

pointydog · 02/12/2010 23:08

Out of the Ark. It's kind of a religious thing.

tigitigi · 02/12/2010 23:08

grr this is a huge bugbear of mine. I feel really let down that DS gets no nativity this year just some random songs.

PatriciaHolm · 02/12/2010 23:09

Did they actually call it a nativity, or is that your description? We have "Christmas shows" - so explicitly not nativities, which involve, as far as I can see, santa songs.

Spidermama · 02/12/2010 23:14

I love the ol' tea towel routine. Once our infants school did Whoopsy Daisy Angel and it really wasn't the same.

I'm with you OP.

Original poster
ilovehens · 03/12/2010 08:05

Yes, that's the one about the star who couldn't shine. All very trendy and 21st Century I'm sure. I just missed all the traditional songs and ways of doing a nativity that's all. I must be getting old Sad

ds1 is only 12 though and he thought it wasn't quite right.

OP posts:
TeddyBare · 03/12/2010 08:20

Maybe they thought that having different plays every year might be more fun for the dc and more interesting for the parents.
It could also be a religious thing. Is the school very diverse in that respect? I would probably prefer my dc to be in a non-religious play as we're not Christian. It might just be that a lot of the parents feel this way, and that a totally non-religious play is the best way to go. Is it even called the Christmas play?

Original poster
ilovehens · 03/12/2010 08:30

No, it's not diverse at all. Why have a Christmas Play at all if they're moving away from relligion in schools? Seems like they're just picking and choosing what aspects of Christmas appeals to them.

OP posts:
TeddyBare · 03/12/2010 08:41

I don't think there is any legal movement away from religion in schools, however some schools are choosing to move away from religion within the requirements of the law. One obvious way of doing that is to make Christmas and Easter less religion focussed. Might it be that the teachers do not feel qualified to put on a nativity without offending some parents if the area has a lot of practising Christians? Or might they be being careful not to exclude a minority of non-Christian children?

Original poster
ilovehens · 03/12/2010 08:45

I just think they're phasing the religious aspect of it out tbh. I don't think they would offend any non-christian children by putting on a proper nativity. It's part of the tradition of this country. It's good to have traditions instead of this bland, banal non-stuff that's around these days.

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lazylula · 03/12/2010 08:47

Ds1 is doing The Sleepy shepherd this year, I can't wait to see it. The school I worked in was a C of E school and we always did a Christmas play which involved the Nativity, but wasn't just the Nativity iygwim. Bossy Christmas Fairy was one, can't think of the others but was probably a bit more interesting than watching the Nativity on its own every year!

bruffin · 03/12/2010 08:53

The Sleepy Shepherd and Whoopsadaisy Angel are lovely. They tell the story of the nativity in a lovely humerous way, but all the elements of the nativity are there and school always had Away In the Manger in it.

echt · 03/12/2010 08:57

God, this sad. It sounds like what already happens on Oz.

We get "carol concerts" in state schools, composed entirely of secular songs, e.g. Jingle Bell Rock. No mention of Jesus. It's all about presents. At least Oz has the excuse of the separation of church and state, but I wish they'd just get on with it and jettison this insult.

On the other hand, the UK has no such excuse to hide behind, so are more remiss.

Christmas, bar the hijacking of Yule, is about the birth of Jesus. End of. Deal with it.

I am a thorough-going atheist, and this gets on my tits big-time. I loathe this mealy-mouthed genuflection in the direction of political correctness. It's neither fish nor fowl.

Original poster
ilovehens · 03/12/2010 08:58

That's how I feel echt. Well put.

OP posts:
echt · 03/12/2010 08:59

Sorry, OP, should have said YANBU.

Original poster
ilovehens · 03/12/2010 09:03

lol

I don't feel as though I'm being unreasonable, but I am 40 now and feeling my age a bit. These new fangled Christmas productions leave me feeling cold, but obviously appeal to younger people.

OP posts:
sarah293 · 03/12/2010 09:08

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LadyLapsang · 03/12/2010 09:28

Maybe you could take them to a Christingle service at church.

sarah293 · 03/12/2010 09:47

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