The Nativity Story

Every year as we celebrate Christmas together, we read from the 2nd chapter of Luke. It's a beautiful telling of the birth of Jesus. I can remember as a small child reading the story aloud to my family on Christmas morning. It was the first thing we did before we opened presents.


In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Another tradition, when I was a child before we opened gifts, we would listen to the song "Come on, Ring those Bells." I would have a bell, and every time during the song when they sang "ring those bells" I rang my bell. My brother would hide under the tree, and during the line "light the Christmas tree" he would turn the lights on. We did this every year when I was growing up.

Come on, ring those bells,
Light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the king
Born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells,
Every-body say,
Jesus, we remember
This your birthday.
For my children, a tradition we began, we like to all dress up in costumes, grab some various props from around the house, and we act out the Christmas story. The kids love this. I think it brings the story to life for them.

This year, we videotaped it. We don't rehearse much; we just discuss who's going to stand where, and who reads what part of the story. In the end our result is quite fun and very spontaneous. It certainly won't win us any awards, but we really enjoy it just the same.

I posted our Nativity Story to YouTube if you'd like to watch it.