Tuesday 9 December 2008

Tea-Towels and Tinsel

An obedient hush came over the audience as the Head Teacher stood up on the stage in his courdoroy suit, with his rosy cheeks and shaggy rock-star hair. "If you're expecting a Christmassy feel to the show, you won't be disappointed", he grinned, "there are tea-towels on heads, lots of tinsel and glitter, it's really wonderful".

Aaahh, the infants' nativity. Every child - the good and the naughty, the dim and the sharp - has a little part to play. My son was a Narrator and wore a white shirt and black bow tie. The Donkey plodded about and looked embarrassed. The Sheep wiggled their tails and got a hearty laugh. The Innkeepers shook their heads. The biggest girl was in charge of holding the extra-large star on a stick, and got some extra-loud applause. Twenty more Stars in yellow t-shirts and golden crowns waved their arms and sang about twinkling in the East. The Angels sang too - a little out of tune perhaps - but it sounded heavenly to me. The youngest Shepherd yawned as it got close to bedtime.

It's delicious, the school nativity. It makes us parents do those proud, misty-eyed, movie-mother sorts of smiles.

11 comments:

  1. Brought back many wonderful memories. Your observations ar so precise.

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  2. Not a dry eye in the house! I love them. Though the papers spoilt it today saying that the big star in the East was probably Jupiter colliding with another star and it took place in June, in which case Christmas should be on 17 June!! Don't they know how to ruin it!!

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  3. Over from David's . ..

    Ahhh, sweet grammar school Christmas plays. A simple time that makes us all feel good!

    Cheers!

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  4. What a wonderful description of life as we remember it...congrats on the Post of the Day comment from David!
    Sandi

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  5. I like any earnest attempt at a play put on by kids. A smiling grin appears on my face and stays there all evening. I just can't help myself.

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  6. Aah, how lovely, the Nativity really is the sweetest thing.

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  7. I empathized with the BIGGEST girl ...

    And the subway entrance may look like its dark down there but its not .. its BRIGHT and NOISY and has LOTS of people of all shapes, sizes and colors running hither and yon. Some even wear tea towels and glitter

    :-Daryl

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  8. Yeah...... I went to the first school play where the oldest grandchild danced in the chorus of stars..... 2 shepherds lost their tea towel head coverings which added to the general enjoyment. (Not laughing at them..... no one seemed to mind)
    Monday my youngest granddaughter (nursery age) is also in the chorus of stars..... Looking forward to that!
    This is what Christmas is really about.... children and Nativities......

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  9. Ah the tea-towels! My kids go to a non-religious school (shame, shame) so we celebrate "The Holidays" which includes Hannukah and Kwaanza. The concerts are fabulous but I don't think my 13 year old has ever sang a carol. In fact the little one chose to colour in a menorah over a Xmas tree at school the other day. Theyre all very confused!

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  10. I love how you've told this...you've captured it beautifully and I could feel myself there! I not only remember my own children's nativity plays, but I remember mine too. I usually played Mary, but I minded that she never spoke. A silent mother...I couldn't imagine it!!
    bella :)

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  11. My most vivid memory is of my dad telling me after my own nativity performance as an angel with a tinsel halo,

    "Laura, YOU are my angel..."

    I like that you made me remember that. Thank you.

    Laura x

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