One of my favorite stories my dad told my sister and I growing up was the story of him in his church’s Christmas pageant. I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but I know he had won the roll of Joseph, playing opposite of a girl he had a crush on as Mary. Every school boy’s dream. He remembers vividly spending what seemed like an eternity just sitting while the Christmas story was being narrated, starring into the manger at a light bulb they had rigged up to represent the baby Jesus. My sister also was in some type of Christmas pageant when she was in preschool. I have seen the video my dad recorded, and in fact, it’s one of our family’s favorite home movies. It features little Kay, the angel, picking her nose. Priceless. But to my knowledge, I have never participated in or seen children perform a Christmas pageant.
Well, alert the presses, because I saw my very first Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve and it was probably the most amazing thing ever. When you live in a small community and have a big family, it adds up to you pretty much being related to every child you encounter. So I had the privilege of watching all my little nephews, nieces, and cousins perform at our church that night. As the program started, I began taking pictures, thinking to myself that family and friends back home would enjoy seeing the play too, but as the night progressed, I admit that I forgot all about my life back in the States. I was frantically taking pictures and recording videos, moving around the room to get good shots, without any thought to who might later view them. I simply had to capture those moments for me. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and pride, pure familial pride, watching my family members up on stage that I couldn’t contain myself.
It was your typical Christmas pageant, with children forgetting their lines, coming onstage at the completely wrong times, costumes falling off, little boys fighting onstage during the songs, and tired little ones yawning in the background of every scene. It was basically perfect. And I got to experience several of those warm fuzzy moments when a small child forgets what they’re supposed to do, and instead waves at you from the stage. My heart nearly exploded. And when it was finally over, and the children all dispersed from the stage, one of my cousins Disha, ran right over and threw her arms around me. It was all I could have asked for.
Here are a few photos for you to enjoy:
Here’s some of my littlest cousins bashfully reciting their lines about the story of Christmas. (L to R Jesse, Hope, Layvin, and Disha, and yes Hope is an angel)
The angel of the Lord appearing to the shepherds (notice their open hands, indicating their immense fear) while Mary sits in the background. (The shepherds are my cousins L to R: Ivan, Villazone, and Logan)
Singing (back row L to R: cousins Marlon and Seiji, front L to R: cousins Layvin, Disha, and niece Annyan).
More singing, much later in the program, note the children not paying attention. (Starting in the back L to R: Jay, John, Disha, Annyan, Jesse, Layvin, and Hope.)
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, filled with just as much joy and happiness that I experienced that night.
--Christy
No comments:
Post a Comment