To feel just a little bit sad that DD isn't Mary in her Nativity Play

[Bearwantsmore]

... I know, I know! But if you can't admit it on Mumsnet, where can you?!

I am not a pushy mum, honest. I just really enjoyed drama and it would be nice if dd did too.

But I have only just recovered from last years trauma of Donkey Keeper, she was given Donkey "but didn't want to do any talking mummy". Did the staff mention it to me, who would have been able to remind child of the few times she had successfully managed to do talking on stage in front of the whole school? No, they just gave her sodding donkey keeper.

And someone in the playground who I think was trying to say the right thing said "isn't it wonderful how they find a part for them all", and I burst into tears.

And then I sat in the wrong place and couldn't see her, because the Donkey Keepers didn't actually get to go on the stage, but prat about in front of their donkeys at floor level so could only be seen by the front row of audience.

Ok, I haven't got over it have I?

Passes to Downy and uses

My first Nativity I played The Star of Bethlehem. Everyone had to follow me as I led them to the Stable. I think it went to my head and I went on to do acting as a career.

Many years later, I did an outdoor theatre production of the Nativity, yes what were we thinking, it was BLOODY cold! I played one of the Three Kings. Great fun.

Angelic behaviour is obviously in my DNA, as me and my daughters were angels in Reception class over the years.
Eldest did tell me she was a satsuma in her Reception class nativity, I luckily checked with her teacher before making a bright orange, attention seeking costume. Turns out they weren't having a non traditional nativity and she was in fact an angel. ( moaned for ages that she wanted to be a satsuma and not a stupid, boring angel!)

Dd2 was Angel Gabriel and out staged Mary beautifully, she reluctantly handed over baby Jesus, enthusiastically sang the songs, sucked her thumb and then fell asleep on another angel. She had the Aahhh factor big style, where as Mary was insipid.

Eldest was cast as a sheep for Y2 so I volunteered to make masks for the group of children who were part of the herd. I worked for days weeks on those masks and they were so cute ( even if I do say so myself) so that when they came on stage the audience "Aaahhhhed" as a whole, I sat feeling very smug and polished my competitive parenting badge.

Great to hear that being The Star of Bethlehem led not only to the stable but to the start of a brilliant acting career snowtunes

DD2 is going to be a dancing sheep this year. Where do you think this will lead her career-wise? X-factor?

Who said they were doing The Bossy Christmas Fairy? I was in that at school, I was a bauble I can still remember the songs!

I wanted to be the clockwork snowflake who did a ballet dance though. I should have been, I'd just got honours in my ballet exam and the girl who got the part only had highly commended.

My ds(5) has poss asd, and is a tree. He thinks he's a fairy or a camel. That's going to take some discussion to prepare him

My DS is a WEASEL in the Christmas play.
DD is a judge and littlest DS is a wise man

They always go one step ahead at their primary school!

DD is supposed to be baby Jesus in the church nativity play this year. That's if they can get the girl (yes) playing Joseph to agree to hold her (Mary at 9 is apparently too young), otherwise it's the doll again. Incidentally our angel Gabriel is a redhead and the baby angels have brown hair, so there is hope for non-blonde wannabe angels out there!

I never got to be anything in school nativities - choir or orchestra, every time. Same with school plays; my biggest ever part was as an attendant who had to pull aside a curtain from an archway.

Last year dd1 was the lead part in her school's christmas play - her character's name was the title of the play, she was a christmas fairy. It did make us very proud, although I think she was a bit too self-conscious.

This year she is in the next class up which has 3 year groups, and she is simply a sister in one of a number of families in the story.

Dd2 is in pre-school and will be doing her first nativity this year. No idea what she will be yet but she loves to perform and is always right up there!

I was Mary at my last year in Infant School, my younger DSis was very excited to watch me in the rehearsal performance (in front of the whole school).. unfortunately, on the morning of the rehearsal we had the annual nit-check...yes, I had nits and sent home. My DSis sobbed the whole afternoon when my "understudy" rocked up as Mary. She's never let me forget!

My DS is a duck !!?! this year in his first school nativity.

DS is going to be a little boy. He gets to wear his pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers, and can take his teddy if he likes. He's made up with the teddy bit, but doesn't really get why he needs to wear pj's when the sun's awake ...

Dd is Mary, which is lovely of course.

However, as she is only in reception I fear she may have peaked a little early and it will be downhill from here in. It'll be second cow with nowt to say next year. Well it will be once they realise she is a serial nose picker, thumb sucker and is likely to question the existence of God on stage. Not a good look on a virgin Mary

I was never Mary in my Nativity plays. I pestered the teachers volunteered to be a wise man and got to wear a tea towel on my head. It was brilliant! On a side note, I remember some of our Mary's and Joseph's being boys and girls with SEN, which I thought was nice. They didn't have many lines anyway, it was always the angels narrating!

I was Mary...

My dd is villager 7 ffs!!! Mary has been Mary in reception, year 2 and now year 4! Surely it's another girls chance

@ sunshine

I loved the parts I played in school nativities at 5 and 6 though, and still remember it so well over 40 years later [bsmile]

I really can't understand schools choosing the same person for Mary more than once Flossie, let alone three times. What's going on there ? Daughter of chair of PTA or why do that ?

I'm 40-something and can still remember my Mother muttering about it being wrong that a blonde girl always got Mary given Mary was Middle-Eastern and Jewish and therefore fairly unlikely to have been blonde. Only part I remember having in the nativity was playing the glockenspiel...

ds was Joseph in Reception - I was very proud but hadn't realised how vicious the parent politics was. So many other parents made it obvious their noses were out of joint and were whispering about why ds had been chosen and not their PFBs. I have no idea, I had no influence, it was the teacher who decided!

Some of the posts in this thread are horrible
All those reasons why mary is crap

My dd is Mary. She is year 2 and can barely read, she struggles with a lot of normal every day concepts such as time but she can learn lines, follow instructions and speaks clearly. And I'm bloody proud of her because she used to have no self confidence
The year 2s get the main parts as the eldest taking part. She is also one of only two girls in her year so had fairly good odds

But no she's the child of the parent most likely to kick up a fuss
Must be teachers pet
And must be because she has the right hair colour

gymboy, that link is gorgeous, what a clever teacher to do that!

As it was a 50/50 chance for your DD I wouldn't take it personally BB.
An unusually large proportion of boys methinks !

Just enjoy ! Hope it's a great and memorable night

Scatter- my dd is The Bossy Fairy. One of the songs about the rejected decorations makes me cry. The play has a really good message,actually.

The thing with having dcs 3+ years apart,is that the same plays come round in a cycle-it was funny last year watching dd1 in a play ds did 4 years ago

The clockwork snowflake is being performed by a little boy who does street dancing, and is really funny. DD2 (aged 2) has been filling the roles of the 'rejects' when dd1 has been practising at home. She does a good 'TattyTinsel'