Nativity Pageants
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 by tcg
Around this time of year, many churches and schools begin to plan for nativity plays and pageants. The thought of making costumes sends parents across the land into a tizzy. There are basically three levels of costumes you can choose for your child: manufactured, hand sewn, or closet cobbled.
Nativity costumes are plentiful in costume stores across the web and your neighborhood. You can find a simple costume for your Mary, Joseph, or Wiseman for less than $20. If you are the director or organizer for the pageant, consider purchasing a basic set of costumes for your pageant. Clean them each year and store them properly and the costumes can be worn year after year.
Many parents decide to hit the fabric stores and sew costumes for the children. All the big pattern makers have nativity and Christmas patterns available both online and at your local store. McCall’s pattern is M2340. Simplicity’s pattern is 4797. Pattern sets typically include a Mary, Joseph, Angle, Wiseman, and Shepherd. Perhaps your organization can purchase the pattern set and you can borrow the one you need. Have fun selecting the fabrics and colors for your little stars. There is one exception to this: Mary’s costumes traditionally is blue and white. Hit the racks that are marked as holiday fabrics as they may be on sale. Angel wings are easy to make. You just need some wire or old clothes hangers and nylons. Watch for an upcoming post that outlines the how-to.
The last option is the closet grab. This is the no-sew, low cost version. Thrift stores are a great resource for plays. Any time you can save by finding a thrift store diamond is money well spent. Your closets and trunks are even better than a thrift store. I’m not advocating wearing dad’s bathroom robe — though you can — simply be creative with what you already have laying around the house. An old tie or scarf can be a perfect sash for a Wiseman. Leftover garland and tinsel can give your Angel extra sparkle under the stage lights. Mary can wear Aunt Edna’s blue dressing gown.
For all the costumes you need the basic robe, sandals, and in some cases wigs and beards. Sandals can be as simple as brown flip-flops. After all, they will be barely visible under the long robes.
Pageants send my memory fondly back to a great book everyone should read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It’s all about the worst pageant ever turning into a night of surprises and smiles. It may be set in a Christmas pageant, but it’s a story for everyone.
