During the afternoons this week the sound of children singing has been coming from the various classrooms along the corridors and as I sit working my office. From the facilities office and workshop accross the way there has been banging and drilling as Kev makes mangers and other props. I love this time of year.
Next week they will start to take turns in the hall to practice their words and songs ready for the few days that parents, grandparents and friends come in to watch their little one perform in the Christmas plays.
We are a big primary school so there are always several plays, all slightly different but all telling the same story about how Jesus was born in a stable.
It's seems such a long time ago that my own children were in their school nativity. I remember my joy when my eldest son was chosen to be Joseph when he was four. I sat in the front row with my mum beaming with pride that day. Sadly she died only a couple of years later and that was the last one she was able to attend.
A few years later he was a shepherd and as he sat on the row at the front he keep lifting his tunic and showing his shorts below to the audience. He couldn't get over the fact his outfit was a 'dress'. I thought the teachers would let him wear trousers underneath but no it had to be shorts.
I've spent time making the costumes cursing the teachers who wanted sheep or kings outfits to be sent in when I was busy working full time. Now I see you can go to the supermarket and purchase them ! I am not sure what's best, those hurriedly made by parents and grandparents or those from Asda or Sainsbury's.
There are always children who struggle with school work or who are very shy, who suddenly on the day of the Christmas play come to the front and shine. I never cease to be amazed that the tiny 4 & 5 year olds that have only been at school a couple of months will stand up and say something in front of a few hundred people or sing and act.
All the children know that if they have a problem they can come to me and this week Ruby turned up at the door sobbing. When I eventually got her to speak her only words were 'In the crowd'. On speaking to her teacher I discovered that this year Ruby is to be one of several children who are in the crowd scene. Yes she does have a small speaking part but Ruby is struggling to understand why last year she was a main character and this year she isn't.
I think we got the message through to her that it's someone else's turn this year and everyone in the play is important when telling a story.On the day her smiling face and loud singing will still steal the hearts of the audience as always wherever in the crowd she is.
We have children of all religions at my school but Christmas really is magical for all of them and of course the adults.
If you are going to see a Christmas Nativity play at a children's school just remember there has been weeks of rehearsals, teachers and teaching assistants painting scenery, caretakers making props, parents putting together costumes and helping to learn lines and lots of little darlings having their first taste of acting.
