4 ways to help your children understand the bigger story this Christmas

I remember rushing out of school one day when my mum came to pick me up. “Guess what I’m playing in the Christmas play? The Christmas pudding!” Yep, my school had managed to include every child in their version of the Nativity.

Over the years, my own children have played shepherds, sheep, angels, innkeepers, kings, and eventually Mary. The nativity plays had titles like Whoops-a-Daisy Angel, The Landlord’s Cat, Tinsel and Tea Towels. I even wrote one myself—Christmas, the Prequel.

we can sometimes miss the beauty and rawness of a miracle birth

At the heart of it, all we are trying to do is find a modern way to retell one of the greatest stories of all time - the birth of Jesus Christ. But in our earnestness to ensure that we are presenting the story in a way that appeals to all and offends none, we can sometimes miss the beauty and rawness of a miracle birth. And how biblically accurate are our Christmas plays? Does it even matter if they aren’t?

The story of Jesus’ birth is told in two of the gospels, Matthew and Luke. Matthew, a Jew, wrote directly for the Jewish people, beginning with a genealogy to prove Jesus’ direct lineage from Abraham to the Messiah: all forty-two generations. Luke, the doctor, takes a more methodical approach, showing that Jesus is the saviour of the whole world. 

So what does the biblical text actually tell us and not tell us!?

• There was no donkey explicitly mentioned. Some argue that the distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem (about 90 miles) would have made it unlikely for a heavily pregnant woman to walk.
• The wise men didn’t visit on the night of Jesus’ birth. It is likely they came before Jesus turned two, as Matthew 2:16 tells us Herod ordered the death of all boys in Bethlehem under the age of two.
• There probably weren’t three wise men. Matthew 2:1 mentions Magi from the east, but does not specify a number. The traditional number of three is based on the three gifts that were given.
• The stable is a tradition, not a biblical detail. Luke 2:7 mentions a manger because there was no room in the guest room. Scholars suggest it could have been a cave or part of a house where animals were kept.
• The innkeeper never said “no room.” Sorry for those parents who got excited that their child finally got a line in the nativity! Luke 2:7 simply states there was no room, not that anyone turned them away.
• The perfect Christmas card scene of a star hovering above the stable, shepherds crowding around the manger, and animals snuggled in with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus is largely traditional. Matthew 2:1-2 describes the Magi following a star to find Jesus, and Luke 2:8-20 tells of angels announcing His birth to shepherds in the fields. But neither account puts all the elements together in the same place. Nor does any biblical text talk about animals gathering around the manger.

So why does this even matter? Surely we are just retelling a timeless story of the birth of a baby who would eventually save mankind. We bring people into our churches at this season and tell the story in the hope that the warmth and familiarity of the nativity scene will engage them enough to want to know more about Jesus. And yes, that is good. But there is so much more.

The miracle of Jesus’ birth shows that God’s love is intentional, personal, and powerful

The birth of Jesus was prophesied hundreds of years before it happened. The Old Testament is full of signs pointing to the Messiah, especially in the minor prophetic books. Isaiah (a major prophet) spoke of a child to be born. Micah (a minor prophet) pointed to Bethlehem, and other prophets foretold a saviour who would bring hope to the nations. Teaching children these prophecies helps them understand that God had a plan long before Jesus was born. A plan fulfilled in a miraculous way, demonstrating his perfect timing and purpose.

The miracle of Jesus’ birth shows that God’s love is intentional, personal, and powerful. God had a plan not just for Jesus, but for each of our lives, before we were even born. That kind of love spills out of the nativity. It invites wonder, awe, and hope, and reminds us that God is at work in ways far beyond what we can imagine.

We can teach children that Jesus’ birth wasn’t just a story. It was a fulfillment of prophecy, a demonstration of God’s perfect plan, and a sign of his love for each of us

Our Nativity plays, whether featuring shepherds, angels, kings, or even the Christmas pudding, are fun and engaging, and they help children feel part of the story. But beyond the costumes and clever scripts, we have the opportunity to point children to the true wonder of Christmas. A miracle foretold centuries in advance, a saviour born in humble circumstances, whose life would change the world.

We can teach children that Jesus’ birth wasn’t just a story. It was a fulfillment of prophecy, a demonstration of God’s perfect plan, and a sign of his love for each of us. It’s a story of hope and purpose that speaks to everyone, regardless of age. And while we enjoy the creativity and humour of modern nativity plays, we must not lose sight of the raw, transformative power of that first Christmas night.

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So how can we help children see the wonder of God’s plan and the prophecies that foretold Jesus’ birth? One way is to make it interactive and fun. You might like to:

1. Create a “prophecy hunt”: Read short Old Testament verses that point to the Messiah (like Micah 5:2 or Isaiah 7:14), then have the kids match them to the story in Matthew and Luke. It turns learning into a treasure hunt.
2. Act out the miracles: Just like your school plays, let children take on different roles. Not just shepherds and angels, but prophets and townspeople. Acting out the story helps them understand that these events were real, purposeful, and part of God’s plan.
3. Connect prophecies to today: Ask children how they think God might have a plan for them, too. Just as the prophets spoke of Jesus long before He came, God knows each child’s story before it even begins.
4. Use crafts and visual aids: A star chart showing the Magi’s journey, a timeline of Old Testament prophecies, or a simple map from Nazareth to Bethlehem can help kids see the story unfold across time and space. 

These activities don’t just make the Nativity more engaging; they help children grasp the heart of the Christmas story. That God’s love is intentional, miraculous, and meant for them. The same God who fulfilled ancient prophecies in Jesus is at work in their lives today. And just like the little actors in your Nativity play, every child is invited to be part of God’s incredible story.