About Christmas plays

[nativityhumbug]

I think they should be banned. In my school, we spend about 3 hours a week for 4 weeks rehearsing. The kids hate it and I feel we could spend the time doing something a lot morr fun... or dare I say it, educational. Aibu?

I don't particularly enjoy them, but they're only in primary school. Most kids enjoy it, yours are just an exception I'm afraid.

Never worked in a school but bloody hate watching them. Only silver lining is our school serves wine and nibbles so I can have a couple of glasses and then merrily zone out and make travel plans/lists of stuff for work/replay books or films in my head. I have a distinctly average child who usually has a small part so there’s not much to pay attention to.

Obvs not going for mother of the year award any time soon.

Do you think Christmas should be banned too?! haha.

I think Christmas plays are, to contradict you, incredibly educational, if done right. Like, for instance, actually teaching the meaning of Christmas - i.e. the spiritual meaning behind it rather than 'I want this, I want that, I want this, I want that'. Invaluable for raising decent human beings IMO.

The kids at my girl's school love the practice. Perhaps the teachers at yours aren't feeling it? If not, that's a shame, because they could pass that on to the kids.

God, you sound like my mother :/

PooWillyBumBum - seriously? Why would you even post this?

Christmas and the accompanying nativities would be a lot more fun if they were only every other year.

YABU. They are an important part of a balanced curriculum, particularly the neglected arts that are overlooked for much of the school year.

Mum of the year you ain't

The kids hate it... really?! I remember it being a highlight of the year when I was a kid, and my nieces and nephews get very excited about theirs. How does your school manage to suck all the fun out of dressing up and putting on a show?

I remember sitting for hours with bugger all to do for weeks on end. Absolutely hated it. YANBU.

Yes seriously - kids plays are soooo dull. DD is not interested in or gifted on the stage so I end up sitting through a long performance where I might see her say one line.

Love seeing her play piano, parents evening is interesting too, but rushing home from work to spend my evening watching my child standing at the back of the stage dressed at a leaf is not my idea of a Friday evening well spent.

Why would your kids hate it? Most kids enjoy the Christmas play.
Taking part in a performance teaches all kinds of skills.

OP it's fun. The kids faces light up when they see their parents there watching for the most part. Are you a teacher?

Well my kids loved getting involved. They were half terrified half excited and thrilled with themselves. And they loved to spy us in the audience. I remember being angel Gabriel way way back in the 60s (before Christmas plays started having penguins and the like).

Should also add she bloody hates it too - rehearsals where she spends much of the time sat on benches, by her account anyway. Now she’s in secondary she’ll manage to avoid completely as drama is an opt in affair.

Do you think Christmas should be banned too?! haha..

Preferably. Or at least downgraded to a 4 yearly event like the olympics.

I think Christmas plays are, to contradict you, incredibly educational, if done right.

I agree.

Like, for instance, actually teaching the meaning of Christmas - i.e. the spiritual meaning behind it rather than 'I want this, I want that, I want this, I want that'. Invaluable for raising decent human beings IMO.

I’m thrilled that DD’s Xmas show this year is all about the pagan roots of what is now called Xmas (having been violently stolen by the early Christians who clearly had no good ideas of their own. I don’t think they are enacting that bit ). No baby Jesus in sight. Brilliant.

Trees, lights, gifts, feasting. Traditional mid-winter celebration, none of this magic virgin birth nonsense.

My children absolutely love Christmas shows, one of mine takes her script in every day and all the kids highlight their bits and practice at play time playing Christmas shows.
And I love them too. They are a little moment of utter innocence on stage, the less polished the better. One of the donkeys mounted a shepherd in one of our plays and none of us have forgotten it. I am the least romantic parent ever, I bin all their clothes/pictures/books etc without a backward glance. But the Christmas show is awesome. You are being so unreasonable and a Christmas grinch.

The kids hate it... really?! I remember it being a highlight of the year when I was a kid, and my nieces and nephews get very excited about theirs. How does your school manage to suck all the fun out of dressing up and putting on a show?

Yes I was wondering this. I remember it as the highlight of the school year when I was a child and my DD in her turn loved it to. As a parent I went to every one and genuinely enjoyed them. I find it extraordinary that you say the kids hate them. I can only assume the miserable attitude of the staff must have rubbed off. Poor kids.

They can be incredibly boring if practicing every day for 4 weeks or more ..... imo waste of time!! I teach year 1 and we dint practice until 2 weeks before we go on stage and for an hour an afternoon max! It always comes together and if someone forgets where to stand or line son helps them! By staying relaxed the kids are too and they really enjoy it! It's magical seeing them on stage 😍

My dc love the play. I love seeing them in it. I think you are being a grinch.

I think teaching arts is just as important as teaching English and maths, and I would hate to see this cut any further.

Well I seem to have kids at both ends of the spectrum.

Dd - third sheep from the left type child. Loved it. Happy to practice all the songs and make sure she knew all the words. And frankly as a very sporty, very academically able child who gets to do “special science club” and “school XYZ team” and all sorts it is probably good for her to not be special for once.

Ds - Joseph! Loves it! So excited to have lines to learn and songs to practice. And gives him a chance to shine for once. (Aforementioned dd leaves a very long shadow.)

YABU -- so much has been squeezed out of the curriculum with the timetable been given over to jumping through hoops for SATS or whatever targets are in fashion that year, I think 12 hours of work preparing for a show is a tiny amount for the children to be getting.
The Arts should be being encouraged, not pushed out even further.

Children should all know the Christmas story - whatever their faith or none, it is part of our history and culture and bits sometimes come up in a pub quiz. dc should also have the experience of being 'on stage', of singing with other people, of having the experience of learning lines, and then delivering them. Plus the making of scenery and props, or programmes and invitations etc.

I'm also surprised at your statement that the dc don't enjoy it. Not my experience at all in what must have been 21 Christmas productions. Maybe they pick up your annoyance and lack of enthusiasm ?

My dc are really looking forward to it! They love singing the songs and carols and practising their lines (though they only have 1 each!) and the thought of getting dressed up. They like performing in general anyway though so this might make a difference.

I also think performances, if done right, can be educational: remember that teaching English isn't just about teaching children to read and write; we're also teaching them to speak, act and to perform and a Christmas play is the ideal opportunity to put that into practice.

I loved them. and love seeing them. I am dyslexic/dyspraxic,dyscalculate so sports and academia were not my thing. If itt,s boring you maybe its the way your doing it.

We all love the Nativity play. The DC get excited and sing the songs at every opportunity in the run up. I really enjoy seeing them dressed up and enjoying themselves.