Why don't they do classic nativities any more?

[SnuggleBuggleBoo]

Why do they feel the need to be 'clever', having it told from the point of view of aliens or whatever, with 'original' songs? What's wrong with just the plain old traditional story and well known carols? I just think it's a shame.

The traditional Nativity is shit and boring, especially for those who aren't religious. I like the weird little plays my kids school does, more children get a line and something to do other than just being a silent and stationary tree/donkey/door.

The school I work at and the different school my children go to both do traditional nativities. The wackiest part I suppose is that the star gets a costume?

These are both Catholic schools so perhaps that makes a difference? Although where we live there are many Catholic schools so plenty of the families who attend both schools are not catholic.

I quite enjoyed the anticipation of "what random character will my child be this year". I had a camel, a sheep, a go-go dancer, a goose, a page, Mary, an angel and a midwife. (Over 2 children!)

I'm in my 30th year of being a primary teacher and I would say that more than half of my nativities are 'traditional'. When I've worked in a church school (as I do currently) it's always been traditional. In a non-church school it's always been 'quirky'. I prefer the traditional ones personally but have to go with what each school wants 🤷‍♀️

This has been going on for at least half a century - I am 55 and the first Xmas play I was in involved us prancing around on stage wearing leotards and waving scarves while our teacher played her Clannad LP on the turntable.

This was at a catholic school.

Dd did the "whoopsadaisy angel" but that was 20 years ago. Small school do only 40 kids taking part, script and music bought in

@Mariposista

That sounds like ours, the rehearsal last week was a disaster apparently (I'm away) but I'm looking forward to it next week, I have the important job of working the sound system!

Our primary sings the nativity story via rewritten lyrics from a specific artist.

Over the years we've had Motown, Elton John, ABBA. This year its Queen. It's brilliant but I can never keep a straight face. No idea which teacher writes the lyrics but they are excellent.

Eg (to the tune of Fernando) "there was something in the air that night, the stars were out, Bethlehem....."

Ah the ever elusive 'they' strikes again. Never do find out who 'they' are

I was in a traditional nativity as a child. I played Mary and I remember the taunts I got of how the child who played Joseph was now my boyfriend and I cried and hated it.

The funniest nativity my DD was in had 3 Wise Women. My husband quipped 'well that's stupid, I didn't know wise women existed, let alone 3 of them!' He got a quick ankle kick for that. 😂

My DDs school does for year 3 children and they hold it in the local church with year 4/5&6 doing the songs. It's beautiful

Everything I've ever seen always led to a traditional nativity scene at the end.
You had to sit through dancing cats, toy soldiers, spacemen, penguins, disco dancers etc first though!

We had all the different variants and twists during the years but hands down the best one was a full traditional nativity story when they were in year 6. They started with “This is our last nativity play ever, enjoy it” The entire audience fell to pieces!

I do agree. At the school where I am CofG we do have a traditional nativity for the Pre School and reception.

My friend in another area has just been to a performance of "The Midwife's Dilemma" at her GC's school - what the heck?!

DD’s in her first one this year and it sounds pretty traditional though one boy is apparently a Christmas tree and another is “the list” she tells me…

My DSC did the matchstick girl which is a horrifying sob fest.

20 years ago the kid on Love Actually was the second lobster, so it's nowt new.

There isn't a lot of characters in the Nativity so they need to find roles for everyone.

DS goes to a church school and last year they did a Bake off themed nativity with traditional characters. The wise men, shepherds and angels all had little tables where they were ‘baking’. The 2 narrators were the judges. It was quite funny and a bit mad. DS was in reception and the whole class were camels.

This year he’s a townsperson (thankful as some of the kids are mice which is a lot trickier to find a costume for!) and there’s a song about pulling on Santa’s beard so I’m intrigued as to the theme 😂

I think the traditional nativity worked better when it was one class per performance. It was easier to give 25-30 kids decent parts. Now they seem to put 3-4 classes together for a performance so they need loads more characters to give every kid a part. Obviously it’s time/money constraints that have changed things but fair play to the teachers for herding that many excited kids through a show!

My DS11 attends an all boys Catholic school in Ireland. He has never had a nativity play. He asked teacher this year if they could do one. The answer was " no, because not all the boys are Catholic and we don't want to upset them " .

They will have a Christmas concert with songs and Elf stories but nothing about Santa , the birth if Christ or hymns.

I think it's wrong.

When I was teaching we had a McDonald's drive thru in one nativity play!

My kids' primary do a nativity in the church presented by the youngest kids - older ones do some readings and a couple of songs. It should be lovely but fucking hell the Head goes on and on and on talking and it takes hours!

Who says they’re ‘boring’? I love a ‘proper’ Nativity play, and if it includes little kids singing Away In A Manger I will be tearily groping for the tissues.

I like it when they alternate at primary, one year hop and new, next year traditional.

Ours stopped doing it so they wouldn;t offend the large local muslim community. Now it's terrible babyish songs they've made up that all the kids absolutely loathe being forced to sing.

I always put it down to there being a teacher who is an aspiring musician/play write hoping to be discovered.

Great day!