A Unitarian Christmas

Like most families, yesterday my family piled into our minivan and went to church, a Unitarian Church, but a Church no less for Christmas Eve. Because of its nondenominational belief we did not just hear the story of a savior in a manger.

We learned about the birth of Confucius and Buddha as well as the nativity story. The first two stories about the births of Eastern Gods were interesting enough, but birth of Jesus was highlighted by having children tell the story.

“Ok, who was at the first Christmas?” The enthusiastic religious education director asked.

“Mary, Joseph, Jesus, cows, and kings.” One of the Children answered as he picked his nose.

One girl just kept saying “Me, Me, Me.” I seriously doubt that she was at the first Christmas being that she is 4.

“Why were the kings there?” the religious director asked.

This one kind of stumped the kids but one kid was brave enough to answer. “Uhhh, to kill Jesus?”

“No, that was another king much later. They brought gifts for the baby” The director corrected.

The rest of the story went as usual, an angle, some shepherds, barnyard animals, and a miracle.

The children on Christmas Eve created a Unitarian Nativity: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, some four year old from Minneapolis, and kings who came to kill a baby.