An English Christmas Begins…

Today was Youngest's Christmas play at school. It was actually very adorable. The play, entitled 'The Shepherd Boy', featured the school's students aged 2-7 (with a little help from the year 3 and 4 boys). The play was about a young shepherd who goes along to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph and witnesses the birth of Jesus. It is a bit odd to me that a school would do such a Christian play. First of all, in Canada, religious-themed anything in elementary schools is strictly avoided to maintain political-correctness. Secondly, I would say that at least half of the school's students hail from Muslim families. They were singing songs celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Well… I guess Muslims do see Jesus as an important prophet. Maybe it's not that contrary to participate in a Christmas play. Except maybe for the reason that the children were singing about Jesus being the Son of God, which Muslims don't believe.

Anyways, it was so cute! And there were examples of every nursery-school-performance-stereotype imaginable. There was the sweet child with wide eyes that knew every word and action to every song. There were the children who stood smiling and waving at their parents throughout the play. There was the child singing the solo in the wrong key. There was the child who muffled all of his lines and the child who forgot all the words to his solo. Youngest was the kid that scowled and stared at his Mum the whole play and eventually ended up crawling into her lap instead of singing with his class. There was even the kid that stood with his back to the audience for most of the play. But it was wonderful. I had to wipe tears of laughter from my eyes, I enjoyed it so much.

Later, when I was driving the girls home from school, I noticed something that made me sad, but also really excited to come home. I only saw two houses that were decorated with Christmas lights. Can't wait to drive down my street at home!