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?!

Juggling, after that first role, I was always the lead throughout Primary School, apart from the last year (Humph!). I think the reason was that I was a good reader and have a very good memory.

One year, instead of doing the normal Nativity, we did the story of Babushka and I played Babushka. I was so proud of myself!

And no my parents were never PTA and really actively discouraged me from doing any kind of performance stuff as it was considered to be distracting me from more academic pursuits!

Ooh, Babushka story sounds good. You could have some great costumes, scenery, and music for that !

Well, I am going to have a little boast here.
DD is Mary in her nativity this year and DS is Joseph in his. I am annoying all of my friends .......great fun!!!

The babushka story is crap. 50% of the school were cast as trees when we did it. True story. Dress in green and stand there and wave.

It gave us a chortle though, as ds was by far and away the shortest in his class. So we told him everyone else was a tree (he was standing next to the tallest girl on the planet) and he was a bush.

The photos are freaking hysterical. He looks as though he's kneeling.

Nor juggling only 3 boys. Very small year in a small class at a small school.
Even if she wasn't someof the comments made have been horrible

juggling no idea why the same Mary has been chosen 3 times now, parents not in PTA. They have a 90 intake so there's plenty of choice. Poor dd tries so hard every year at audition for a good part but always misses out. I just cannot understand the fairness in having the same child again! Villager 7, what the hell is that

I don't think you need to take them so seriously BB ?
People are only jesting about the way Mary is chosen, or might have been in the past.
eg there may have been a bias towards blonde girls being chosen in the past - this is clearly ridiculous as Mary was from the Middle East.

I clearly remember my nativity in first school. I was a peasant with a line - "it's like a tin of packed sardines in here".

After the nativity my mum was helping in the classroom and one of the angels couldn't get her tights on. Mum helped her. I took this as a very clear message that she thought the angels were better than me!

I admitted that I was upset, but 20 years after the event! Mum thought it was hilarious!

I was Mary in 1972 - I think on the basis that I was non-blonde and reliable.

DS 1 provided unintended entertainment as the innkeeper in his first nativity play when he was 3. Word perfect in rehearsal, he decided to mix it up a bit for the actual performance. When Joseph knocked on the door, DS replied, "Yes of course, come in, there's plenty of room". Afterwards, he escaped from "backstage" wearing only his pants. He ran back into the room where the parents were still sitting, did a dance and sang "I aint got no 'jamas on".

I mean, really, "ain't got no"..... I was mortified.

DD was promoted from sheep to donkey. She wasn't happy until I pointed out Mary couldn't get there without the donkey.

Our nursery is dong a nativity Tuesday, we were told DS2 was going to be a sheep and that he kept leading the other sheep astray, the letter came home tonight and he has had an upgrade he is now a shepherd!!!
I'm a bit miffed he isn't Joseph but a shepherd is still important!
DS1 was a sheep a couple of years ago in reception, this year they are doing a santas workshop play and he is a musician?!

I don't mind what part my kids play as long as it's something that requires a costume I can get from either Asda or eBay :o

This year DD has been promoted from Angel to Angel Gabriel.

I'm sure it is a build-up-her-confidence choice because there's a fair bit for a shy 3yo to do. She was really cheeky at their last play though!

I write our Reception Nativity plays usually, obviously I don't stray far from the original. We are having to do 2 productions this year each with 70 children and I let them choose their parts. We are having (along with shepherds, innkeepers, stars, angels, soldiers) foxes, rabbits, cows, and a mouse - I drew the line at an elephant though! Every group of characters has a specific song and everyone who wanted to say something is! :)

Am loving this thread and so many posts have made me smile (but haven't read them all - there are so many!) I was a schoolgirl in the 50's in a Catholic school and so it was always a nativity in those days. I longed to be Angel Gabrielle and come on with my arm outstretched (bit like a Nazi salute come to think of it!) and say "behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy....for this day is born to you a saviour ...." see I still remember the words! Needless to say I was never chosen (short mousey hair) - nearest I got was an angel at the back of the crib with my arms folded across my chest! Angel Gabrielle always had long blonde hair!

My DS aged 3 (well over 30 years ago) was a king in the nursery play and said in a loud clear voice "look at that star" but the other 2 didn't look and neither did he, so the whole thing was just left in mid air and several of the children were crying as I recall! Think I welled up too at the sight of such tiny children in a play.

Fast forward the tape and my DGD was Mary in Year 2 or 3 (and yes I was very proud) but it's right what everyone is saying. It's very overrated because she only had 1 line to say as I recall. She was very shy at that age and sobbed when her mom and dad had to leave the hall and she had to be led back to the class room by a "not very nurturing" teacher!

SO all you mums of non-Mary's take heart.............and enjoy your child being a badger(!) a star, a tree or whatever. It's the taking part that counts!

My DD was a star one year and had to jump around with lots of other stars to "Reach for the sky !" Wonderful, and very memorable. Another year she was a snowflake with a pretty costume and did a little dance with a few other snowflake friends. Loved your post Nana. So much to enjoy - "Keep all these things and treasure them in your heart"

I was Mary at least twice - but that is actually my name! I enjoyed being a king more- it was a proper costume rather than being a blue dress my mother found in the back of a cupboard.

DD1 is one of 30 angels. Last year she was one of 30 stars.

Dd y2, is a narrator with one line

She is also a soloist singer....

Only problem is I'm not sure she can sing, must be the best of a bad bunch and they obviously don't remember her grumpy rendition of chief star last year when all she did was itch and pull at her collar with a face like thunder.

Hmm not sure I'm looking forward to this nativity, I just hope I will be pleasantly surprised in seeing talents I never noticed yet.

Oh dear god I hope so.

My mum was in a junior school production of Midsummer Night's Dream. There were many roles for fairies; as well as Peaseblossom, Mustardseed and Moth, there were miscellaneous glittery pretty ones. Mum got Cobweb. Can you still feel her pain, 85 years later?

How about MNs nativity play or panto aslong as its done in fun though?

Runs and hides

A few years ago dcs school announced that all the pupils who were chosen the play the animals had to be traditional ones : cows, sheep, donkey, camels. Lots of p* ed off parents having to find alternatives to frogs, bears and in one case a monkey!

ds2 is a donkey- I am very pleased as the form said ' costume to be supplied by school' - a beautiful phrase!!

Real what like a thread re-writing the nativity in a modern fashion where we give out parts? Oh that could be good. Fifty Shades of Mumsnet was hilar

It's hard for us teachers too. We cast the confident, loud children (no offence intended) in the main parts and then clam up when they find out they will be on stage. We've already had to sack our Mary. The first shepherd and the inn keeper will be next if they don't buck their ideas up.