Nine fragments with suggestions for music

Robin Ford, 2013

Interlude 0   (Perhaps a child can play a piano pieces to set the mood)

Fragment 1 (A mother)   Beginnings

Imagine.

All the stars in the sky.

How did they get there?

Some say:

“There was nothing.  Then fourteen billion years ago there was a huge explosion, and after a while stars appeared.”

Others tell dreamtime stories.

Maybe it happened some other way. We can’t be sure.

Anyway, here we are in our tiny corner of the universe.

How did we get here?

It’s a long story, but in the end there were Grandma and Granddad, Barba and Poppy, then Mummy and Dadda , then two children – and soon there will be one more.

We’re together for Christmas. What’s special about Christmas?

It all starts with an ancient story.

About a baby.

Interlude 1   (chose one person as a reader)

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight

Fragment 2 (A grandfather)    Something’s coming!

It’s December. The sun gets up early and goes to bed late. This is when we remember the ancient story of Christmas.

Here we go.

Once upon a time, many many years ago and in a far-off country there was a man standing in the middle of a crowd. He was excited.

Imagine we are there.

We’re on the edge of the crowd, but I can just hear what he is saying:

“Someone special is coming! He will show us the way. We must get ready!”

Where will the special person come from? Will it be Jerusalem, the nearest big city?  Or somewhere smaller? Perhaps Nazareth? 

Or Bethlehem?

Interlude 2   (sung by as many as know it – either of the traditional tunes) Oh little town of Bethlehem, verse 1

Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight

Fragment 3 (a grandmother)   A new baby

Mary and Joseph were about to have a baby, but they still had to make the long journey to Bethlehem to be registered by the government. It was the law. When they got there Mary was very tired.

Where could they stay? The first hotel they tried was full. So was the second. There was nowhere else.

“Can you help us please?” they asked the second hotel, “We’re so tired.”

“Well, you can sleep in the barn with the animals if you like.”

“That sounds good.” they said.

And that night Mary’s baby was born. They called him Jesus.

Interlude 3   (sung by everyone) Mary lay down in the barn (Modified Old Macdonald had a farm)

Mary lay down in a barn

Resting on some hay

And in that barn there was a horse

Resting on some hay

With a neigh neigh here, and a neigh neigh there, here a neigh, there a neigh,
everywhere a neigh neigh

Mary lay down in a barn

Resting on some hay

Mary lay down in a barn

Resting on some hay

And in that barn there was a cow

Resting on some hay

With a moo moo here, and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo,
everywhere a moo moo

Mary lay down in a barn

Resting on some hay

Mary lay down in a barn

Resting on some hay

And in that barn there was a…

Baby?

(Grandmother) It’s a birthday. Let’s light candles. (children light tea candles)

Fragment 4 (a father)   Shepherds have a surprise.

There were shepherds nearby, looking after their sheep. It was night time.

One said, “I heard voices that said, ‘Go to Bethlehem and see a special new baby’. It was like a dream.”

“We heard the voices too.” said the others.

One shepherd suggested, “I’ll stay here and look after the sheep. The rest of you go to Bethlehem and see what it’s all about.”

They did, and they found Jesus in the barn, sleeping on some hay.

Interlude 4 (sung by everyone)    Baa baa black sheep

Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full

One for the master, and one for the dame

And one for the little boy who lives down the lane

Fragment 5 (an aunt)   More people come to see Jesus.

Would you believe it! Three professors from a distant land wanted to meet Jesus. Why? Because they had worked out that he was going to change the world.

A star showed them where to go.

After a long journey they found Jesus and gave him presents. One brought gold. One brought myrrh, which is an expensive smelly resin. And one brought frankincense, which is an expensive oil used to make perfume.

What does incense smell like? Let’s light some incense sticks and see.

(Aunt supervises lighting of incense sticks)

Interlude 5 (sung by everyone)   Twinkle twinkle little star

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Fragment 6  (a grandfather)    Christmas in other places

At this time of year, people remember the Christmas story all over Australia – Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Shoal Bay, Perth.

People remember the story in other countries too – (list those present) the United States of America, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, England. These are in the north, where in December the sun wakes up late and goes to bed early. And it’s cold.

In some of these places it snows, so you can go tobogganing at Christmas. Or you might go riding in a sleigh.

Interlude 6 (sung by everyone – with bells to jingle if available)    Jingle bells

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Dashing through the snow

On a one horse open sleigh

O’er the fields we go

Laughing all the way

Bells on bobtails ring

Making spirits bright

What fun it is to laugh and sing

A sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Fragment 7 (a child)    Another character joins the story.

Who else rides on a sleigh at Christmas?

Of course!

It’s Saint Nicholas, or Father Christmas, or Santa Clause.

We’ll just call him Santa. Stories say he lives way up in the North, where it is very cold in December, so he needs those red and white furry clothes and the black boots to keep him warm.

He brings toys to children who are good — good, but maybe not perfect!

Interlude 7 (sung by everyone)    When Santa got stuck up the chimney

When Santa got stuck up the chimney

He began to shout

Girls and boys

If you want any toys

You’ll have to pull me out

My beard is black

There’s soot in my sack

My nose is tickling too

When Santa got stuck up the chimney

Achoo, achoo, achoo.

Fragment 8 (a grandmother)   Christmas traditions

Did your Great Grandfather come from a cold-Christmas country? Or perhaps your Grandmother, or your Mother, or your Father? Lots of Australians have family who did.

They brought their customs and special Christmas food. Roast turkey and cranberry jelly. Marshmallow dessert. Christmas pudding.

And they brought Christmas songs.

Interlude 8 (sung by everyone)   We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy new year

Now bring us some figgy pudding

Now bring us some figgy pudding

Now bring us some figgy pudding

And bring it out here

Glad tidings we bring

To you and your kin

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy new year

Fragment 9 (a parent interviews a child)    Christmas holidays

Parent          Christmas is the start of summer holidays.  For everyone.

                     What do you like to do in the summer?

Child             (impromptu answer eg Go to the beach.  Swim.  Ride bikes. Bushwalk.)

Parent          Anything is possible. 

                     Let’s enjoy every day of Christmas.

Interlude 9 (sung by everyone)    The twelve days of Christmas (up to the fifth day)

On the first day of Christmas my true-love gave to me

A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas my true-love gave to me

Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree

On the third day of Christmas my true-love gave to me

Three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree

On the fourth day of Christmas my true-love gave to me

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree

On the fifth day of Christmas my true-love gave to me

Five gold rings.

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree

Three cheers for Christmas!

Hip hip: hurrah

Hip hip: hurrah

Hip hip: hurrah

Throw streamers, pop poppers.