The Christmas Story!

About 2000 years ago, in Judea (now called Israel), something amazing happened!

There was a young woman called Mary. One day Mary had a very special visitor, an Angel called Gabriel!

Angel: Greetings Mary! God has sent me with a very special message. You're going to have a special baby.

Mary: ?!? How can I have a baby? I'm only young.

Angel: You will have a baby by God's Holy Spirit, so your baby will be holy. He will be called 'Jesus' (it means saviour) and he will be the Son of God and his kingdom will never end.

Mary: I'm not sure I really get it, but I trust God so let it happen as God wants!

Mary was engaged to Joseph. When he found that Mary was going to have a baby, he was very worried and upset!

Joseph: I think Mary loves another man. I still love her but I'll have to break up with her.

One night when Joseph was sleeping, an Angel appeared in a dream!

Angel: You will have a baby by God's Holy Spirit, so your baby will be holy.Joseph! Don't worry about marrying Mary. Her child is holy and will be God's Son! You are to call him Jesus and he will save people from their sins!

When Joseph woke up, he was much happier!

Joseph: Now I trust God and Mary. I'm going to find Mary and marry her!

At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire.

The Emperor wanted to make sure everyone paid their taxes, so he held a census to count everyone! People had to go to the town their families came from.

Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth (where they lived) to Bethlehem (where Joseph's family came from). It was about 70 miles / 110km.

When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come for the census, that every house was full and every bed was taken!

People in Bethlehem: Sorry, no space here. Try somewhere else... GO AWAY! No Room! We're all full up! There's room with the animals...

The only place they could find to stay was where the animals lived. So Mary and Joseph had to stay with the animals!

When Jesus was born, his bed was the manger, where the animals ate their food from!

Out in the fields around Bethlehem, some shepherds were looking after their sheep

Suddenly an Angel appeared!

Shepherds: WOW!!!

Angel: Don't be afraid! I bring good news. The Saviour of the world has been born in Bethlehem! You will find him lying in a Manger.

Suddenly lots of other angels appeared and sang a song praising God!

Angels: Glory to God and peace on earth!

When the angels had gone back to heaven, the shepherds went to find the new baby.

Shepherds: Come on, let's go to Bethlehem!

Sheep: BAAAA!(which means yes!)

So the Shepherds went and found Mary, Joseph and Jesus!

Shepherds: An angel told us about your special baby!

Mary and Joseph: Wow! Thanks for coming to see us!

At the same time Jesus was born, some very clever men, living somewhere in Arabia, saw something amazing in the night sky!

The Wise Men saw a new star appear in the sky.It meant that a new King had been born in Judea.

Wise men: Wow! Look at that bright new star! Let's go and visit the new baby king! I'll get the camels ready! We'll need some presents!

So the Wise Men got packed and started a long journey to Jerusalem (the capital city where the King lived). It took them a while because it was a long way!

When they got to Jerusalem, the Wise Men went to see King Herod in his Palace.

Herod: I'm King Herod, who are you?

Wise men: We're Wisemen from the East. We've come to see the new king. We saw his star in the sky!

When King Herod heard there was a new baby king - he was NOT happy! So he tried to trick the Wise Men into finding Jesus for him.

Herod: Ah, a baby, cute! Go and find him, then I can visit him as well! [thinking] Muhahahaha, when they tell me where the baby is - I'll send my soldiers to kill him!!!

The old writings said that a very special baby would be born in Bethlehem. So the Wise Men followed the star and that's where it took them!

Wise men: The star is over Bethlehem, so let's go there!

The Wise Men found Mary, Joseph and Jesus living in Bethlehem. They were really happy to see the new baby king!

Wise men: We saw a new, special star that meant a new king had been born! So we came to find him! And we've brought gifts! Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Mary and Joseph: Thank you for coming to see us!

God warned the Wise Men, in a dream, that King Herod really wanted to kill the new baby Jesus. So they went back home a different way.

When the Wise Men had gone, an angel warned Joseph about King Herod in a dream.

Angel: Joseph! King Herod wants to kill Jesus! Get up and take Jesus and Mary to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you it's safe to come back.

So they escaped to Egypt and they lived there for a couple of years until King Herod had died.

When it was safe to go back, an angel told Joseph. Then the family went back to live in Nazareth where Mary and Joseph came from.

Mary and Joseph: Hurrah we're home!

The End!