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?!

[apostropheuse]

My oldest daughter was Mary at her nursery nativity. The following year in P1 she was also Mary. One of the other parents went to the Head Teacher and complained! The thing is, the mum told me that herself - that she'd complained. The Head was a bit bemused but basically told her to bugger off. In a nice way of course.

Incidentally, I had no inside connections with either the school or the nursery - and they were two separate establishments, but a lot of children would have gone to the same nursery and school! Just thought I'd mention that in case I was accused of nepotism of such like.

She was of course spectacular as Mary on both occasions.

My son was the innkeeper who let them go into the stable. He had to nod his head and point! I was really proud of him.

My other two daughters were angels amongst a heavenly throng... but they were the most angelic of course. Obviously.

[JollyJock]

I can once remember being involved in a nativity. I was the innkeeper's wife.
I never had any ambitions to be Mary though.

[madwomanintheattic]

One year our infant school Mary was a y2 with v complex sn (the yr 2's traditionally got the main roles, y1's got the 'group' parts (villagers etc) and yr r's were animals/ bushes/ angels etc). Mary was a non speaking part and she was absolutely perfect - and did a grand job of being meek and mild and cuddling the baby Jesus etc (and there were a few sniffles at how well she was coping - occasionally her TA led her to the correct spot if Joseph was struggling). In the last three minutes of the play she completely unexpectedly (well, obviously not to the music teacher or production staff lol) walked to the middle of the stage on her own and sang a lengthy solo about her hopes for the baby, without any accompaniment, and reduced the entire hall to a blubbering, bawling mess as it was sooooooo beautiful.

I always cry at the nativity anyway, but this was un-fricking-believable. There were grown men sobbing into their beards, and clutched sodden hankies everywhere. The HT couldn't speak to thank everyone for coming and wish them a merry christmas as she was bawling so hard.

Hard act to follow, that Mary...

These days I can barely take my seat before I get something in my eye...

[WipsGlitter]

I was going to start the same thread!! DS is a "dancer" I just know which children will have the main parts.

[Moominsummermadness]

Dd1 actually got the star part once- she was Jesus in the church nativity play, aged two weeks old .

[CockyPants]

Madwoman, I have a tear in my eye reading your lovely post.

Flame me now, DD was Mary in Reception AND got to sing a duet with Joseph. Wept buckets all the way through.
Class 1 she was an angel, sang and danced. Tinsel is made for her!!
This year, 'the wisest of the wise men, mummy'...she is not happy!!
Told her to suck it up. WIBU?

[chocoluvva]

Oh moominsummer and madwoman, what lovely stories.

When DS was 9 he was disgusted to be given the part of a goose (partridge in a pear tree) and had to mime laying an egg! A girl's role in his opinion. The teacher added to his misery by saying that the gender of the goose was not specified!

[BoomBoomBoom]

DD was a strawberry last year. Her next play is in January. I can't wait to see what she will be.

I was Mary in both Nativity plays I did. In both I stripped the doll and swung it round by its legs.

[Marzipanface]

I was never Mary on account of being gingery and bespectacled. I would have preferred it as Mary didn't say anything at all whereas I was always cast in speaking roles. I was a 'traveller' who visited Earth at Chrismas. Bascially an Alien and had to say LOADS of stuff.

In the next year I had to SING! I had a decent singing voice when I was a child and had to sing a whole song in the interval whilst people changed costumes. We weren't a massively religious school. Embarrassingly enough my friend still has it on video and every now and again she bangs it on for a giggle.

[Panzee]

Mary in our school hardly ever has any lines. So we pick the quiet ones. Apart from last year, although she was quiet we got her to sing a solo.

[CaseyShraeger]

DD1 is a narrator in her Reception nativity. DS was a narrator several years ago when it was his turn.

I have loud children .

[WiseKneeHair]

Ds2 is a pupil. Easy costume there.

Ds1 is.... Dermot O'Leary.
Not exactly a traditional nativity.

[notwoo]

Ah Madwoman - you've reminded me. I used to work with children with SN. One year a wonderful girl with very complex needs was chosen to be Mary.

We managed to keep it as a surprise for her mum.

You can imagine the tears when the little girl walked on in a special walker (she was usually in a wheelchair) smiling and pulling her head dress off

[madwomanintheattic]

In dd1's last nativity (they did it in the actual church) they left the baby Jesus in the changing room, instead of stashing him in the crib where he was supposed to be hidden until the appropriate moment. So when the lovely Mary became esconced in her stall, she got to the appropriate cue and bent down to pick up her darling baby, at which point she shrieked hysterically 'he's not here!' And burst into tears. Cue much panic and running up and down the aisles and 'we've forgotten the baby Jesus!' to find a suitable stand-in.

Completely packed church. C of e school. Vicar. I laughed for a week. Poor Mary. It's gone down in history chez mad as 'The Year They Forgot The Baby Jesus'.

[madwomanintheattic]

Oh god, notwoo, that would have finished me off entirely. How lovely!

[Anonymumous]

My son is an "attendant". His costume will consist of a black T-shirt and black trousers. Oh boy, am I excited - NOT! It's not fair - here I am, DESPERATE to make a Christmas pudding outfit or a lobster costume a la Love Actually, and all I get is a boring trudge around the less exciting parts of Primark.

The irony is that he is a SUPERB actor - he has Basil Fawlty down to a tee. Unfortunately he has speech problems, so no-one except us can understand what he's saying most of the time. Oh well... at least he won't be able to embarrass us by goosestepping across the stage and yelling, "I'll do the funny walk!"

[puddeycat]

I was 5 years old and sooo excited to be picked as an angel, until I had my operation to have my ears pinned back moved forward. I came back to school with a massive bandage like a turban on my head with my hair hanging out the top! I was then demoted to a traveller with a tea towel wrapped round my bandage to cover it!
I have never quite forgiven my reception teacher.:-(

[LynetteScavo]

YANBU.

You wouldn't believe how thrilled DH and I were when DS1 was promoted from king to Joseph when he was at nursery. Apparently the child originally cast as Joseph kept doing gambols, so was recast as a sheep.

He was the inn keeper when he was in Y2. It was one of the very few parts which had any words (he only had to say about about three words). I sat next to the mum of twins who told me she had complied to the teacher that neither of her boys had speaking parts. She moved them to an independent school soon after. I think it was a straw, camel, back thing.

[Bingdweller]

DS is "an animal" We haven't quite worked out which species yet. I'm hoping we shall receive some instruction regarding costumes soon!

[mam29]

dd 3rd school nativiy and shes a narrating star. she says welcome to our nativity and at end thankyou for coming hope you enjoyed it, shes only just joined school after half term.

In her nursery nativity -angel 2years running.
reception was disaster her and 1other girl were assigned as townspeople.

preschool a snowman-she cried on stage,

All the other girls were angels and stars she was really upset.

I was really upset, dd was really upset.

To make it worse the costume instruction brightly coloured tunic all the sheparsd costums were dull coloured in shops so got made one spent a week handsewing dd hated it and her classmates laughed at her.

last year she was donkey this time brought costume.

This year at least school provide costumes.
last year they got bicthy in playground over best angel costume was marks v georgev tesco.

dds freind played mary in reception and year 1.

last year my youngest was rather unexpedly jesus he was 6months old.

my eldest was an angel-was church nativity.
the play started
my 2year old had other ideas and snatched dolly jesus out of the crib
mary got distressed as wise kings were coming to empty crib
so put baby in it and everyone thourght hilarious I was mortified.
not sure if should risk church nativity again.

[PatFenis]

None of my DC have ever been chosen for major parts in any school play let alone the Nativity. Today my youngest DD came home totally 'devvoed' that she had to be in the choir instead.
To be perfectly honest I was secretly relieved as my DC have always been a bit of a liability when it comes to school plays.
One year we had a Nativity with a difference - it was the year the Spice Girls made it big so the organisers of the play decided that the 'Spice Girls' would make an appearance and much to his dismay DS2 who would have been 8 at the time was given the part of Ginger Spice. Their performance was about to begin and the 5 boys stood on stage in frocks and wigs, the music began and my DS pulled off his wig and declared that he 'wasn't prepared to humiliate himself like this' and stormed off stage ....I was mortified

Fast forward several years later ....my DC5 was chosen to be a shepherd

He stood on the stage after saying his lines and the next child climbs on stage to say his part but trips up the stairs and my son turned, pointed and laughed a la and the whole audience erupted into howls of laughter .....I slid down my chair covering my face with my song sheet.

[Iwillorderthefood]

My DD is one of 30 angels

[ifancyashandy]

Narrator. I was ALWAYS the Narrator.

I was desperate to be Mary.