School nativity with obscure Christmas Carols - why?

[BrocolliFloret]

DC are at two different schools and their nativities and Christmas concerts never include ANY traditional Christmas carols.

They’ve not gone secular - they still sing about the wise men, the donkey etc… but they have binned the classic carols and only use unknown modern hymns.

Anyone else find this is the case with their school, and does anyone have any idea why they do this?

Seems like a waste that they’re spending time learning and performing these dull unmemorable songs when there are so many amazing Christmas carols that would be much more enjoyable to listen to. Just me?

They are probably using a published script with its own songs. Most schools do it nowadays. They have jolly tunes and words children can understand.

Easier for the kids to learn and understand. Ours are doing "we're going on a baby hunt" like "we're going on a bear hunt". Much easier for them to understand than "offspring from the virgins womb" or "veiled know flesh the godhead see" or similar lines from traditional carols.

*in flesh... see even i can't get it right

Alice the camel? Or its a long way on a donkey?

Small children always used to manage Away In A Manger, or the Rocking Carol, quite easily. Goodness knows why they’ve ditched such well loved ones,

It’s not just kids’ nativity plays, though, is it? A few years ago we went with friends to a big singalong carol service at a big church near their house. I was looking forward to it, but so disappointed when so many of the carols were unknown, and even the few traditional ones were sung to unfamiliar tunes - even The Holly And The Ivy.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much like a super-grumpy Mrs Scrooge.

Friends asked if we’d like to go to the same the following year - it was a resounding no thanks from me.

It’s not that I dislike all non trad carols - I love e.g. the Calypso Carol, and the Cowboy one, but they both have lovely memorable tunes.

I love traditional carols but actually some of the new songs my DC learn and sing each Christmas at school are brilliant. One or two have been fondly remembered and re sung at home every year.
I sometimes get fed up with the traditional ones just trotted out every year, it’s nice to hear new music and have my kids learn new songs. Makes me smile.
Although one of them this year refers to Jesus as a ‘brat’ - a song from the perspective of king Herod so not sure about that one!

I remember being really upset at juniors when we had a new head in the 4th year and he ditched all the traditional hymns and carols for what I can only describe as 'pap'.

Never had a problem learning the trad ones as a child (I can't stay in tune for toffee but that's another matter). In fact, they boosted my vocabulary considerably! Must be even easier nowadays as children can simple Google any words they don't understand, whereas in the 80s we had to dig out a dictionary.

Over the years I have seen...

Wiggly Nativity
Whoopsie Angel (or something like that)
One based around midwives.
One based around camels.
And I'm sure there's another one...

I think they are all highly amusing.

Happy Birthday Jesus was one of my favourites.

We do a Christmas Carol service in church every year. None of the parents join in with any of the traditional congregational carols and then clap at the end of each one!

Oh we are doing a lovely makaton nativity .. the songs are gorgeous!

Just listened to Hark now Hear the Angels Sing, and O Come all ye Faithful… they are such glorious uplifting songs!

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER that experience sounds so sad! We do still sing the traditional carols at church thankfully.

Agree op, ours have done the most boring random rubbish, no classic, beautiful nativity at all sadly.

Camels and Kings was an all time lowpoint

For a few years now my child's school has ditched the Christmas play in favour of Christmas carols outside in the playground by the Christmas tree. It's really lovely evening, all the children come back to school wrapped up warm. Sing a mix of traditional and new songs. Hot choc and BBQ also and option to leave donation for school fund.

The midwife based nativity had me in tears.

I am enjoying it. I got quite tired of listening to the same ones concert in and out.
It makes easier for the children to truly engage as it means something to them.

I'm so glad mine are both in ks2 and I no longer have to sit through a half hour "nativity" with unrecognisable songs. I would always sit and smile and clap when I should but it was a running joke between me and my friends about how much I hated them and how miserable I am.

Bought in scripts and scores, my favourite was the whoopeadaisy angel

At church it's traditional, I chose the carols today

My kids school used to use Out of the Ark. The songs were fabulous!!!

It's because the teachers need backing music. In the olden days there was usually a local lady who'd come in and play the piano or one of the teachers could play and there was plenty of rehearsal time. But nowadays teachers have to squeeze the nativity into ever shorter time slots and tend to rely on CDs with backing music and ready-made scripts. If you want traditional carols, church is the place.

It’s a shame because this generation won’t know most of the traditional nursery rhymes, carols or hymns as they don’t do them in nurseries/schools. I’m not religious but all this is part of a shared tradition that’s going to be gone.

Much easier for them to understand than "offspring from the virgins womb" or "veiled know flesh the godhead see" or similar lines from traditional carols.

Many of us sang these as children and even if we didn't understand every word, most of it made sense.

I like the traditional carols because they go back to times when Christmas wasn't all about the bling and shopping.

If you want traditional carols, church is the place.

If you're lucky, that is...

I've been to Christmas services at more than one church where they had electronic backing tracks for the carols