To want a traditional nativity play for once?

[Shutthegatepeter]

This week my son has his nativity. He has already done a dress rehearsal that parents could attend so I’ve seen it, his ‘proper’ performance is on Friday evening. It’s very cute and the kids and teachers have done a great effort so I do appreciate it, it’s certainly better than no nativity at all like during covid. But I’ve noticed with all 3 of my children now that they never do a traditional nativity anymore. One year my eldest daughter didn’t do a nativity they did a ‘Christmas play’ instead with Santa and dancing teddy bears, no Mary and Joseph. Another year my middle child was a spaceman who travelled to a Christmas planet, there was a brief mention of the birth of Jesus but no Mary, Joseph, shepherds etc. This year my youngest is a Christmas tree, there is a Mary and Joseph and a basic nativity story, but there’s breakdancing kings and they sing Bruno Mars I think I want to marry you. There’s no silent night, no away in a manger. None of my 3 children know away in a manger because they’ve never sang it in their nativities, they’re always trying to spice it up and modernise it and make it different. I appreciate the thought and maybe as a one off one year it’d be nice to see something different, but it’s every year and now none of my 3 have ever done a normal nativity. I want to hear away in a manger, not Bruno mars! I’m not even religious 😂 Has anyone else had a traditional nativity or are they a thing of the past now?

@Bunsandtophats

And I can't believe my children have had to be in this 'play'.

Can you point to which part of my post is factually incorrect?

@Helpwithdaughterpls You're a complete nut job.

oh give over.
my kids did a play about murderous pirates in year 1, a play about the destruction of the rainforest (complete with laminated lines for each child) in year 2 and loads of plays about black people being fucked over time and time again.
History is bleak and religion is a part of history.
Christmas is a big deal (we have 2 weeks off school for it don't we? Or is it 3 years? who can tell how long the 26th to the 31st of December really is 😄) I think its important kids know what they are having a holiday.
also it's a nice tradition and learning about this stuff comes in very handy on Wednesday night, 6-7pm at the black horse (aka quiz night)

pub name, time and day changed

@BigusBumus1

And you're rude. And incorrect. I am a rational scientist who does not believe in telling children nasty stories about female oppression.

@iceyniceyspicey

Sure they can learn this story, as long as it is presented as story and the moral failings pointed out, like in other fairy tales.

Helpwithdaughterpls, you are woefully ignorant of the Bible account of the Nativity!

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her of God’s plan, she gave her consent, saying “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy words.”

Secondly, no rape was involved. No man was even involved. Mary remained a virgin, and conceived Jesus via the intervention of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph was not a “leader”, just a carpenter, who took care of Mary on the journey and agreed to go ahead with their marriage despite her being pregnant - an incredibly noble act for a first century Jew, who was entitled to cast her out completely on such grounds. And everybody had to attend their home town for the census, not just women.

The innkeeper had no rooms. The inn was full of travellers attending the census. He took pity and sheltered Mary in his stable where she could have privacy from all the men in the inn while giving birth.

The shepherds visited briefly to give praise to God and witness the miracle, not to “interfere with Mary’s breastfeeding routine”!

I have never heard such silly and ill informed criticisms of the gospels - and I’ve heard an awful lot of nonsense spouted by atheists in my time. Yours really do take the biscuit!

Ha I love all this no dc can be disappointed. Imo it's the parents that are disappointed up to a certain age. My dc is at a private school and they're old school traditional. So old school that when parts were allocated an email went out saying dc should accept their parts graciously. I knew exactly what that meant 😂 my dc was of course some random stable animal.

I really cba to get all het up about it but I do like a good ol traditional nativity play. I'm not religious, I just like the tradition of the angels picking their noses and 'Mary' swinging that baby Annabelle like it's gonna get concussion.

@Babdoc

And yet, in the whole story, all the figures with power and agency are men or at least referred to as 'he' and the sole woman is a mere vessel.

No you're right, the story is TOTALLY feminist.

After sitting through years of weird and wonderful different Christmas plays, my son’s old junior school got all the year 6’s to do the traditional nativity as their last ever one before the joys of secondary school. It was both hilarious to watch them shuffle about and heartbreaking to know it was the end of that chapter of their lives.
My daughter missed her chance because of covid bless her. Her last ever one was the Bruno Mars Christmas tree production!

Perhaps you should enrol your child at a traditional Christian school?

Im glad we moved on from the nativity nonsense

Wiggly nativity?

Gotta say, this sounds absolutely amazing 😄

I'm a reception teacher in a church school.. our nativity is very traditional and is lovely!!

Our ks2 are also singing in a carol service this week which is beautiful! Full traditional carols and they have LOVED it!

This cheers me up every year.

My secondary school had an annual christingle service at the adjacent Moravian Church.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christingle

My dc went to a RC Primary, traditional nativity in infants with recycled homemade costumes. The nursery used to wear these brown leotards tights and animal masks.
Mine was Mary twice (another parent did comment to me!)

If you'd asked me a few years before having kids I'd have been horrified by a cool pop song nativity. But my dc went to a c of e primary and the KS1 littlies did lots of variations of the Christmas Story. But they were absolutely brilliant and the singing and dancing (intentionally) hilarious. Looking for Jesus all around the world and dancing to amped up original recording of Y Viva Espana being a highlight much remembered.

Then in KS2 they did a more serious story and carols in a candlelit church.

Both types were lovely and I'm an out & out atheist.