Christmas pageants, good & bad

[HelenaZF]

Sounds like you've had some good experiences and great fun doing christmas pageants.



I can't say my own experiences have been that positive. I remember being made to be a part of a lot of dreary traditional versions as a child, and generally avoid those now when I can.



When I've helped produce christmas pageants, I've tried to do something that gives a fresh focus or treats a part of the story in an innovative way. For instance, one year we used a sublime orchestral version of "Greensleeves" as the background for a mimed vignette of the Holy Family traveling to Bethlehem, and portrayed the Holy Spirit (with a dancer) blessing and leading them, preparing the way for them. Not a word spoken, but using the imageries of character and costuming to tell the story. It was very elegant and powerful.



Personally I don't like it when the christmas pageantry includes the passion/resurrection message. It's just so emotionally wrenching to me to have to relive the passion when I've come to an event that I thought was going to be a celebration of the nativity. I understand that the motivation is to present the whole gospel message to unbelievers that might attend the christmas play, but please.....it's just too much. I've seen very effective altar calls given at the manger without having to deal with the whole story.