The Christmas Story

One day a long time ago when Mary was engaged to Joseph, an angel appeared to her and told her that God had chosen her to be the mother of his son. She would give birth to a baby boy and she must call him Jesus.

When the time came for the baby to be born, Joseph and Mary were travelling to Bethlehem to be counted in a census. Because of the large amount of other people doing the same thing all the rooms in the inns had been filled and there were none left. However one kind inn-keeper took pity on Mary and said that although the animals were using it, the stable was clean and they could sleep there tonight.

Out in the fields some shepherds were watching their sheep when suddenly a group of angels appeared in the sky and told them that God's son had just been born and that they should go and visit him.

In the East, three wise men also saw the star and knew it to be an omen. They followed the star for several days and went to the palace of King Herod because they thought it meant the birth of a great king and where else would a king be born. When they told Herod of their news he sent them away and told them to report back to him when they had found the baby king. Eventually the star led them to the stable where Mary had just given birth to Jesus. She had wrapped him in rags and laid him on the hay in the manger.

The shepherds arrived with their sheep and soon the wise men apppeared, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The wise men had a dream that Herod planned to kill the new-born king and that Mary and Joseph must leave Bethlehem so with help from the wise men they fled to Egypt to live in safety.

Sure enough, Herod made his army kill all newly born boys in the hope that that he would be able to stay as king, but Jesus was safe.