Nativity My First

-Where are we going to put the tree?

-Here.

-Why not there?

-No!

-There.

-You want it there?

-Yeah.

-Take this.

This is Britney and she is five years old.

You want to string it?

Have you got it?

Wow. Well done. Pass it to Mummy. Mummy will tie it together for you.

Britney and her family are getting ready for Christmas

by putting up the decorations.

I've got an icicle.

I've got this one.

-ALL: Yes!

-Shall we put the lights on?

-YAY!

Today Britney will do something new for the first time.

But what will it be?

Britney's memory box helps her remember

all the exciting things that happen.

See if you can spot what goes in it today.

In school, Britney's teacher has some big news for the class.

We have been asked to do the story of the Nativity.

Tyler, what's the story of the Nativity?

Baby Jesus.

It's about baby Jesus, that's right.

Wow! The Nativity. There's going to be a play.

We'll be getting dressed up, we'll be having costumes,

we'll be having parts to play, and it'll be great fun.

But we can't use the stage.

Somebody else is already going to be using it.

Oh, no! Where will you perform the play, then?

Where did the story of baby Jesus happen?

Where was baby Jesus born?

-Britney?

-The stable.

They were in a stable.

Could we do it at the farm?

ALL: Yes!

A farm - that's a great place to put on your show.

The Nativity is a play which tells the story of how Jesus was born

in a stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.

Many people celebrate his birthday

throughout the world as Christmas Day.

Traditionally, children act out the story.

The main characters are the baby Jesus

and his mum and dad, Mary and Joseph.

After school, Britney and Mum set up a Nativity scene at home

to learn more about the story.

Do you know what the Nativity is about?

-Baby Jesus.

-And what do we celebrate? Baby Jesus's...?

-Birthday.

-Well done.

So where's baby Jesus?

Do you want to put baby Jesus there?

-Here?

-Mm-hm.

And who was baby Jesus's mum?

-Mary.

-Mary.

Who was Jesus's father on Earth?

-Joseph.

-Joseph.

Who are these three men?

-Wise men.

-OK.

What were they bearing when they came to see Jesus?

Can you remember?

Frank...

Frankans?

Frankincense.

Frankincense.

There are lots of parts in this play.

-Shall we build the...?

-Stable.

Stable. Shall we turn it around that way?

Oh, a stable, and you're doing your Nativity in a stable on a real farm.

This is the Nativity.

That's what Christmas is all about.

At school, the children are having a go at acting out

the different roles in the Nativity to see who can play which part.

So I think we'll start with a practice Mary and the angel.

One morning, Mary was busy doing her housework

when suddenly an angel appeared.

And the angel said...

Would you like to have a baby?

Mary was...

afraid.

And she said...

Yes.

Give those girls a whoosh!

Fantastic.

Britney, how did it feel, there,

up on the stage with everybody looking at you?

Did you feel a little bit nervous?

Uh-uh.

Were you a little bit excited?

Because we all know Britney has lots and lots of confidence

in the classroom, but it is hard to get up there, it really is.

Good job, Britney.

And we need some boys to have a little practice at being Joseph,

and we need somebody who can take care of baby Jesus,

be a good daddy.

Alex? Would you make a good daddy?

Give him a big squeeze.

Tyler?

Give him a little rub.

They all look like they'd be really good dads to baby Jesus.

Shall we give those boys a whoosh?

Now it's time to find out who is going to play each part.

I wonder who gets to be Joseph.

Tyler. Well done, Tyler. Come out, Tyler, and look at your character.

Well done, Tyler.

Who's next?

We need somebody who will carry their shepherd's crook

to take care of their sheep.

Carter, Nako and...Jamie.

Who hasn't got a part yet?

Who's still awaiting?

Oh, no, Britney. You haven't got a part yet. I wonder what's left.

Who do you think we could have to be Mary?

I'm going to choose...

Britney. Would you like to be Mary?

Yes, please.

Mary! Well done, Britney.

The first thing to go in Britney's memory box

is a little figure of Mary, Jesus's mother.

Britney and all her friends are making props for the Nativity.

What's that you're making? A star?

Oh, you need lots of glitter to make it shine.

It looks like a gold star.

A golden star.

Perhaps that's the one that the three wise men followed.

At home, Britney is practising her lines to be Mary with Dad.

He's using something called a script,

which has all the lines from play in it.

Do you know the part you're going to play?

Which part?

Mary.

Mary?

Hmm.

Do you know your lines?

Let's have a practice now.

"Mary, God has chosen you to have a special baby

"and you shall call him Jesus."

"How can that be?

"Mary thought about this for a while."

Can you show me your thoughtful face?

Hmm.

Brilliant work, Britney. You'll learn your lines in no time.

The second thing to go into the memory box is a script.

Now we're going to have a look at some of the costumes

and see who are going to be wearing these fantastic clothes.

Look at this one here.

It's blue and sparkly.

It must be for somebody who is good and kind...

-KIDS:

-Mary!

Mary! You're right.

Britney, would you like to come and try your costume on?

There we go. I'll pass it to you. Oh, she's going to look fantastic.

Look how tired Mary is and look how caring Joseph is.

Shall we walk up here?

Oh, can we turn around? Bring her around, Tyler,

and go and stand with her on the stairs.

Fantastic.

Well done.

That costume looks wonderful, Britney.

The third thing to go into the memory box is Britney's costume.

PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

Britney and her class are doing a dress rehearsal.

"How can that be?

"She thought about it and replied...

"Yes!"

A dress rehearsal is the last practice you do

before the performance in front of all the parents,

and it's the first time that you get to wear your costume on stage.

The children are almost ready for their big performance.

After lots of practising, the big day has come

for the Nativity to take place on a real farm.

As it's such a long way, they are travelling to the farm by coach.

This is where the Nativity is going to take place.

But there's something missing.

Britney, Tyler, now that we're ready to do the Nativity,

the farmer says we can borrow some of his animals.

What can you see?

-CHILDREN:

-Sheep.

-My goodness, aren't they wonderful?

-Do we need sheep in the stable?

-TYLER:

-No.

I think the shepherds bring them

a little later in the story, don't they?

Shall we see who else we've got over here?

-CHILDREN:

-Goats.

Do you think we should get a goat?

Which one shall we have?

That one that jumped.

-He looks like lots of fun, doesn't he?

-Yeah.

-Who else do you think we might need, Britney?

-The donkeys.

Donkeys! Good idea, Britney.

Mary and Joseph couldn't have got to Bethlehem without one.

Which one shall we choose?

This one.

-That small one?

-Yeah.

-Shall we choose the little one?

You'd better go and get ready. The farmer will bring the animals round.

Look, Britney, it's the star you made earlier.

All the parents are sitting, waiting excitedly for the Nativity to begin.

All the children are ready to come in.

Good luck, Britney.

PIANO MUSIC STARTS There's the music. Let's go.

COCKEREL CROWS

Shhhhh! The Nativity's starting!

Once upon a time, more than 2,000 years ago,

there lived a young girl called Mary.

She was kind and good, and everybody loved her.

One morning, while she was doing her housework,

the most amazing thing happened.

An angel appeared.

Mary was afraid

and hid her face,

and the angel asked...

Would you like a baby?

Mary replied...

How can that be?

She thought and thought and said...

Yes.

Everybody has a part to play in the Nativity.

There are shepherds and kings, as well as innkeepers and stars.

Time for a song.

# Here we go up to Bethlehem

# Bethlehem, Bethlehem

# Here we go up to Bethlehem

# On a cold and dusty morning. #

HE STOMPS AND KNOCKS

Is there any room at the inn?

No room at the inn.

Any room at the inn?

No.

The last innkeeper looked at Mary and felt sorry for her.

So he offered them a stable to sleep in.

Each part is important,

and if everybody does their best, then the Nativity will be a success.

With all the excitement, no-one had much sleep that night.

The animals gathered around with the visitors to see the special baby

who would be the light of the world.

The fourth thing to go into the memory box

is a donkey from the stable.

# It's Christmas, it's Christmas

# It's time to celebrate

# Dressed all nice and fancy

# It's going to be great

# It's Christmas, it's Christmas

# It's time to celebrate

# Have a lovely Christmas time. #

CHEERING

I think everyone enjoyed that.

Today, Britney took part in a Nativity play.

Do you remember what happened? Let's have a look in the memory box.

First, Britney found out what part she would play.

After that, Britney practised her script

and learned her lines with Dad.

Next, Britney was given her costume

and took part in a dress rehearsal.

And finally, Britney played Mary in the big performance

in front of all the parents and animals in the stable.

Today, Britney took part in a Nativity play.

There is a first time for everything!