A Favorite Christmas Eve Tradition

                               Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 

to the Tuesday Slice of Life sponsored by Two Writing Teachers.

When our family was young, we loved to invite other families over on Christmas Eve to re-enact the story of that first Christmas with a reading from the 2nd chapter of Luke accompanied by singing Christmas carols.  

When we moved to the Northwest, a new tradition was born in our local congregation, due to  the energy and passion of a young mom who wanted us to have an event geared for the young children.  She wanted the costumes to be durable, and the script simple, with no rehearsals required.  

Families gather at our church on Christmas Eve afternoon.  Children grow up performing in the simple story of this glorious event.  Although there are no practices, children know that you start as a sheep or the donkey,
someday you might get to be a shepherd or an angel,
maybe one of the three kings, King Herod (a favorite costume),
or perhaps Mary or Joseph.  

Here are a few photos from this afternoon's joyful celebration!