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The first Christmas story
Every December, elementary schools across the UK and Europe hold performances at churches and halls.
What are they performing?
Many scenes are now undergoing minor changes, sometimes adding new elements or changing the perspective of the story.
But here at InfinityFact, you can read the original version ...
It all started ...
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, in the town of Nazareth, a young woman named Mary was praying in her home, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her.
He said, “Don't be afraid, Mary, because God has been fussing you.
That night, Gabriel also visited Mary's husband, Joseph, a carpenter.
Gabriel informed Joseph and asked him to take care of Mary and Jesus' unborn baby.
While Mary's stomach was swollen because of the child, a Roman emperor Herod ordered that everyone return to their home city to pay taxes.
Joseph departed for Bethlehem, the town where he was born, with heavily pregnant Mary, who rode a simple donkey.
Days passed, until they arrived.
To their surprise, the street was crowded.
All the inns were full - "There are no rooms in the inn," they were informed.
Mary was exhausted.
A good innkeeper took pity on the couple, and offered them their stables, where they could spend the night and be warmed by many animals.
Mary and Joseph had prepared the stables.
During the night, Jesus was born.
Outside Bethlehem, on a steep hill, there was a group of shepherds.
They talked softly, as they guarded their sleeping sheep.
When singing in the ears, they startled, especially when the angel Gabriel appeared.
The shepherds were frightened and cowered with fear.
"Don't be afraid," Gabriel said, "because I bring you immense joy.
The shepherds were delighted.
When the angel disappeared, a star glowed in the sky.
Too excited, the shepherds awakened their sheep and brought them back to town.
They followed the star until they reached the inn, where the baby Jesus slept soundly in the manger.
They knelt in amazement and humility.
At the same time, in the distance to the East, the three wise men were traveling.
They agreed that it was a special star, and they started to follow it.
They had been traveling for many days until they reached Bethlehem.
The last three wise men were led to the stable where Mary, Joseph and the shepherds were gathered with the sleeping baby Jesus.
They knelt and worshiped, and offered Him gifts from their people.
These gifts are gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The news spread quickly, and many people were overjoyed at the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ.
