Christmas and Advent

Advent Calendars

We have produced an exciting Advent Calendar for children. It is perfect if you are looking for activities and resources this advent. It has been designed for use in schools and Sunday schools, as well as households. There are many craft and colouring activities as well as reflections and everyday things to do in preparation for Christmas.

Click the links below to download the calendar and activities.

A Christmas Nativity Play That Healed Wounds

Three parishes were to be amalgamated. There was great distress. Christmas was looming and a nativity play was cancelled, with no place to go. 

And so it was, that for the next seventeen years, a family opened their doors to provide a venue for the play. This play was led by the people, read from scripts and acted by adults and children alike. It drew people ecumenically, Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Muslim and particularly importantly, those with no knowledge of the Nativity story. 

There was an open invitation to all. As people arrived on Christmas Eve, they were asked if they would like to play a part. A room was piled with simple costumes and participants could choose what they wanted to wear. A pile of shepherd’s tunics, walking sticks as shepherd’s crooks. Bright tunics and robes for the kings. Blues for Our Lady and earthy colours for St. Joseph. A pile of white cassocks of all sizes to serve as Angel’s gowns and tinsel to deck heads with halos.

A volunteer assisted with safety pins and guidance on suitability of outfit… The parts of Mary and Joseph were usually played by adults, as were the lead shepherds, Kings and Angel Gabriel. 

With mince pies munched and all decked and ready, the scene was set. Joseph knocked loudly on the front door…. We follow him outdoors.

In the garden the shepherds then gathered.  There were toy lambs, but also real sheep in a pen. Whenever possible, there was also a real live baby Jesus and then the baby’s mother, or one year his aunt, played Mary. 

The story progressed with carols, torchlight and candles, towards the garden sheds where the Holy Family took refuge. 

It was Christmas Eve once more! Spirits were lifted, friends reunited, and strangers welcomed. 

Resources:

Pope Francis on the importance of the nativity.
Link to Vatican Website here.

Notes on producing a nativity play: Document here

Basic and Easy Nativity Costumes to have Great Fun Making! Document here

More nativity costume ideas and instructions (with diagrams): Document here

Nativity play Hymn Sheet: Document here

The Wayfarers Lantern Tradition: Document here

Finding Free Music Printouts
The following site is possibly a very useful site for free print outs of Christmas hymns and music for all types of instruments and in many keys:
www.christmasmusicsongs.com