The 'Ville: School Days: Christmas Play and K Christmas Party {Riley}

Last year Riley’s school decided to start putting on an annual Christmas play about the story of the nativity. Students from each grade are cast in all of the roles, and the play is performed for the whole school on the last day before Christmas break.

Guess who was cast in the role of a king’s page boy this year? And who had to wear tights? This guy.

And Claire was an angel. Naturally. Sohpia and Lia were too.

There were actually two performances of the play this year, one for the parish congregation on Thursday night and one for the school on Friday morning. Combined with Riley’s class Christmas party after the play on Friday, last week was super busy for us.

Lots of our family were able to make the first performance, including Nola, Nopsi, AD#1, Grandma, and Grandpa. Rory had a grand time cycling through everyone sitting in our pew. And repeatedly asking to go outside. And finishing his dinner.

Claire entered the sanctuary first and did a great job. She and the rest of the angels looked so pretty. And I loved the students playing all of the animals; too cute.

Then it was finally Riley’s turn. He walked in to the song “We Three Kings,” carrying his king’s robes, all the way up onto the altar. Then he sat down. For the rest of the play. While the other two page boys stood silently on the altar holding their kings’ robes.

Riley later said that his king told him to sit down when they got onto the altar, but I know no one told him to act crazy toward the end. He jumped up and proceeded to dance around behind his king. Wonk. Potatoes. I think he was doing some of the moves he remembered from his Christmas performance last year with Mrs. Amelie.

Everyone walked up to greet our little page boy once the play was over and to tell him he did a great job. Then it was home and into bed so we could get up and do it all over again.

Riley and I left very early the next morning because we had to stop by Tastee to get donuts to bring for his class party. We even had time to go in and each have a donut before we had to get to school. Loved spending a few unexpected quiet minutes with my boy.

We dropped some stuff off in Riley’s classroom and then headed to the library so Riley could get into his page boy costume. On our way back, we ran into Alcee outside of her classroom. She looked so pretty in her Christmas dress!

While the rest of the school went to mass before the play, Katie and I were in the classroom setting up for the kids’ Christmas party. I set out donuts, fruit, juice pouches, and a birthday cookie cake for Blake as party food. Katie got supplies for three fun games, and we both collaborated on an awesome photo booth, which was a huge hit with the kids and the parents.

Sidenote: doesn’t the school’s back hallway look so festive? Love that all the teachers hang up Christmas lights outside of their classrooms.

We finished up just in time for me to head to the church to catch the second performance of the play. Kenny and Rory arrived right before Riley’s song, and the three of us watched him from the back. Rory had plenty of space in which to drive his trucks and to finish his breakfast. I hope God didn’t mind that he ate his meals in church two days in a row!

When the play was over, Riley hopped off the altar and went right up to the director, Mrs. Lindsay. I was in the back trying to wave him off and get him to leave her alone, but all he did was insist that the cast take a bow. So Mrs. Lindsay interrupted the principal and told her what Riley had suggested. And guess what? The cast took their bow. Kenny and I were flabbergasted. And proud.

But then he came flailing down the aisle like a crazy person so things were back to normal.

I herded him back up to the altar so the cast could take a picture and then everyone was off to their class Christmas parties.

We played bingo first and then sang “Happy Birthday” to Blake. After that it was a blur of snacks, snowman ball toss, pin the nose on Rudolph, and photo booth fun.