A play

I suppose most everyone has some traditions at Christmas.  One of our family traditions is to act out the Christmas story.  We've done it for years!  This year was no different.  Hannah helped me write out all the characters we needed on slips of paper and we all drew names (except me.  I was the narrator).  If you didn't want the character you drew, you could trade with someone if they wanted to. But I don't think anyone did.

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists....since Joseph belonged to David's house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David's city, called Bethlehem, in Judea.  He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage....

She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped Him snugly, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.

Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night.  

The Lord's angel stood before them,..."Don't be afraid!  Look!  I bring good news to you - wonderful, joyous news for all the people!  Your Saviour is born today in David's city.  He is Christ the Lord."

Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God.

"Glory to God in the highest!!"

The shepherds said to eachother "Let's go right now to Bethlehem and see what's happened.....then the shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.  Everything happened just as they had been told.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod,

 magi came from the east to Jerusalem.  They asked, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We've seen His star in the east, and we've come to honor Him."

....He sent them to Bethlehem saying "Go and search carefully for the child.  When you've found Him, report to me so that I too may go and honor Him."

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.

They entered the house and saw the child with Mary His mother.  Falling to their knees, they honored Him.  Then they opened their treasure chests and presented Him with gifts....

Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.