Family Nativity Play

 More Christmas outfits.  Each of the girls got a new dress and a hand me down dress this year.  Red Fish's dress was mine when I was little. We had a birthday party for the December birthdays on my side of the family.  When the girls found out that we wouldn't be able to do our nativity play on Christmas Eve this year they decided that it absolutely had to be done ahead of time.  They are definitely starting to share my Christmas obsession.  The girls called everyone and discussed which parts should be played by which people for weeks. They spent a good part of the morning picking out props and costumes to take for everyone.  They even picked out the book they wanted read as the script. I had no idea they were quite so attached to this fairly new tradition.  It is the third year that we have done it with the kids but my brothers and I did it with our cousins a few times at our Great Grandfather's annual parties.

Thing 1 as Joseph

Hopefully the play will serve as a good reminder of the reason for the season but it ends up being pretty comical every single time.

 Mary (Red Fish) and Joseph (Thing 1) rode to Bethlehem on the donkey (Two Fish) with a little push from the angel (New Fish.)

 When Joseph fell off the donkey at the manger the donkey was highjacked by the angel.

 Joseph was pretty worn out by the birth and took a nap in the manger. The angel brought good tidings of great cheer.

 
The shepherds (M.E. Doo and Pop Pop) were comforted and made their way to the manger, complete with Pop Pops cane. Thing 2 was a fabulous sheep complete with Baaa sound effects.

 Red Fish made sure we had a star to guide the wise men who came bearing their gifts. J looks particularly thrilled doesn't he?

Thanks to my family for humoring the girls and having fun with things. The girls were thrilled.