As a teacher my preparation for the holiday season starts earlier than most. I usually try to have my Christmas showcase songs, dances, and skits ready to teach at the very latest, September.
Rehearsals start as soon as possible and my students are often sick of the same skit or song by October. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, so starting early is almost a necessity to ensure that each class is ready.
This year, my third through fifth grade theatre class is performing a condensed stage version of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” For a majority, this is their first stage performance. It’s been so much fun seeing them get into character, learning their lines, and getting excited about costumes and set pieces.
An unexpected battle arose when I found that most of my students did not know the famous opening song from the show, “Christmas Time is Here.” I can show them how to dance and act but teaching children to sing from scratch is a bit of a challenge for me. While rehearsing the song, I was moved to pause and reflect on the lyrics and, most importantly, the ones who were singing it.
Throughout this year, I have wrestled with disappointment and disheartenment. It’s been a
struggle to be excited for the holidays when there seems to be so much suffering in the world that
cannot and should not be ignored. It has often seemed as if there was no hope. But as I watched
my students rehearse “Christmas Time is Here”, I was filled with confidence from Christ.
Christmas is the season of hope. It is time for remembering and celebrating the one whom our
hope comes from. Christ encourages us to take heart and rejoice for he has overcome the world
(John 16:33). He has overcome every struggle, hardship, disappointment, and all suffering. I can
place my confidence in Him and know that this will not last forever. There is still room for hope,
joy, peace, love, and all good things. Throughout this semester, my students have carried the true
spirit of Christmas with them every day. They are the ones bringing hope, joy, and Christ with
them into each classroom.
In the last verse they sing, I recognize a cry from my heart and theirs as well:
“Christmas time is here
We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year”
Through their enthusiasm and willingness to bring the Christmas spirit, I am encouraged to lift
my own heart and share it with them. In Jesus, there is hope. In Jesus, there is joy. We can rest
assured that in Him, all matters of things will be well.
Morgan Nash is an English/Theater teacher from West Tennessee who loves reading, travel, and Jesus.
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