If we are to believe the media, then Christmas is a time for buying, it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, it is all about filling cash registers. The Christian faith and all it stands for is constantly being side lined in favour of commercialism. Fortunately, we still have the school Nativity plays, to remind the children of the true message of the birth of our Saviour.

Alan was a little lad who was a bit of a rascal, but he was bright, intelligent and very popular with teachers and pupils alike. One day his teacher announced that their class was going to be responsible for putting on the school Nativity play this year. This created a lot of excitement amongst the children and Alan asked if he could be a wise man, but was told he wasn't clever enough to be a wise man. "What about being a shepherd?" he inquired, "No you can't be a shepherd - your too urban," said his teacher. He was told he was not fatherly enough to play Joseph and certainly not mother enough to play Mary, and too big for baby Jesus.

The lad was quiet for a bit and then he looked at his teacher with consternation and asked, "Well, can I play Buffalo Bill then?" The teacher smiled and replied, "Sorry there was no Buffalo Bill in the Nativity story" To which Alan promptly responded that as far as he could remember; neither was there a Christmas tree, decorations, fairy lights and the carol "Silent night" in the Nativity story. For some unknown reason, Alan was promptly promoted and cast as the wisest of the Three Wise Men. Amazingly, it takes a child to understand the real meaning of Christmas and another child born in a humble stable who was to change the world forever.

Wishing Us All The Peace And Joy Of Christ.