December 8
The Best Christmas Pageant Even
One of the traditions of my childhood was the church’s Christmas pageant. It was directed by my Aunt Florence, who used the occasion to sharpen her drill sergeant skills in case Uncle Sam ever called, or so it seemed to a seven year old girl. I got to be a cherub a couple of times, and a part of the angelic multitude, but the year it was my turn to be Mary, they changed the play to some dumb story about a bell.
Our presbyterian pageant never reached the heights of the Oscars, nor did it ever reach the heights of entertainment that the pageant does in the movie The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Based on the popular book by Barbara Robinson, this forty-eight minute film welcomes The Herdmans to the church’s annual Christmas pageant, and the results are hilarious – and heart-breaking. Upon their first visit to the church, Leroy, Ollie, Glady, Claude, Imogene and Ralph “cleaned out the collection plates, scribbled on the Bibles, and stuck gum all over the pews.” And the pageant rehearsals were just as challenging.
The hilarity includes a fire alarm during the dress rehearsal, an angel in printed bed sheets, and the gift of a ham for the baby Jesus. Heart-breaking scenes include Imogene cradling the baby, and Gladys’ interpretation of the annunciation to the shepherds. Heart-breaking as well were the oft-repeated judgments of the congregation, evidenced by this indictment from the minister’s lips: “Jesus said, ‘suffer the children to come unto me, but I’m not sure he meant the Herdmans.’”
And yet, the words of the pageant’s first-time director are prophetic: “It’s a beautiful story. We should all hear it again.” For as Gladys bursts forth with enthusiasm: ‘Hey! Hey! Unto you a child is born.”
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:11)
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