Task: Place figures of Mary and Joseph among the animals.
Sharing Exercise: Elder family members sharing stories of parents, grandparents, foster parents, godparents. Tell the role they played in the family life, contributions they made or learnings they inspired.
Music: What Child is This
Task: Placing Shepherds and sheep among the animals.
Sharing Exercise: Family members sharing memories and stories of relatives, friends, helpers (e.g. babysitters), neighbors who were part of family life. How did the family benefit from their association with the family? What activities did they promote – music, dance, games, adventures, etc.?
Music: The First Noel
Task: Placing animals on top of the straw.
Sharing Exercise: Family members sharing stories and memories of pets and animals that were/are part of family life – how they impacted the family, their names, their habits, who took care of them, etc.
Music: The Friendly Beasts
Task: Placing straw in place to form the floor of a stable and adding a stable if one is available.
Sharing Exercise: Family members gather around their manger scene and share memories about the homes they grew up in – remembering the physical structures; events and happenings that occurred there; what the rooms were like, e.g. kitchen, bathroom, living room, rec. room, dining room, etc.
Music: Away in a Manger