That first Christmas was not a safe Christmas. A stable would have been a nightmare for a first time, germaphobe mother. A manger was not a safe alternative to a crib. Who knows what critters were scurrying around at night?
Maybe Christmas is not supposed to be safe. Most amazing events never are. There’s some risk involved. That said, safety recalls are still a good idea!
I drew this cartoon for Church of God Ministries, Anderson, Indiana
Cartoon of a boy in a shepherd costume and a teacher. The boy says, “You call this a Christmas play? There is no playground and you’re putting us to work!”
I am a big fan of A Charlie Brown Christmas. We’re the same age. We both came to this world in 1965. I’ve been in my share of Christmas plays and they always seemed as chaotic as the one Charlie Brown is directing. And I’ve always been tempted to break out of character and just dance in the middle of the play.
Christmas plays are hard work because you have to act A LOT when you’re in one. You have to pretend that boy who you know is a practical joker is Joseph. You have to pretend the girl who kicked you in the shins during recess is Mary. Then YOU have to pretend you are somber and just seen a platoon of angels when you know full well it was the Smith triplets in bath robes.
Christmas plays are also hard work because we can’t get our head around the notion God came to Earth as a baby to a poor family and was born in a barn. Lets face it. If we were God, WE wouldn’t want to be born in a barn and we’d want more than some smelly shepherds to visit us that first night.
Those Christmas plays are just hard work!
Merry Christmas! I just love this time of year. The sounds, smells and sights of Christmas bring back memories of Christmases long, long ago. (Hmm. sounds like a Christmas tune.)
I’ve done another nativity scene in a different style. You can find it here.
Here is a Christmas nativity coloring page for you. It is free for personal and classroom use.
Here is a coloring page of a Christmas nativity scene. This is a pdf file. Feel free to use it for personal and noncommercial use.
Merry Christmas!
