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School Christmas Programs or Plays can be difficult to say the least. Children are hyper because of the thoughts of the holidays. Teachers are anxious and do not want to have an added burden. Parents have so many other appointments on their calendar that this because just another *thing* that I have to do. All in all, with the negative vibrations given out by all the stress, Christmas programs need to be something special to be a success. Here are some suggestions to make for a *stress less* Christmas Program.

Audience participation is the key to having a good Christmas Play or Program. Christmas is a time when everyone is feeling the spirit and if they get or have to go to a program you can see them tapping their toes and quietly mouthing the words. Take advantage of this and make them the chorus. Make it a community program and have the audience as the choir or at least give them a chance to sing along with the choir two or three times during the program. Have the chorister tell them that they are to sing along whenever they are directed to do so.

To make this work you need to do a couple of things.

1. Pick songs in your program that are familiar and people hear all the time.

2. If you want them to sing something that they recognize, but may not know the words then print the words in the program.

3. You aren*t printing a program then put them on an overhead or put them in a power point and project them onto a screen.

4. In your program indicate which songs are to be sung by the audience.

Have specific classes come on stage during each song and do some action. Such as, when you sing It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas have the class bring out a Christmas tree and decorate it. If you sing a Santa Claus song have him on stage.

Include everyone that comes in the program. You might even surprise someone with a good sense of humor and have them come on stage and perform something with the children. Principals are real good at this type of activity.

This type of program works with students in schools, also. The last thing a child at Christmas wants to do is sit and listen to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. They want to sing it and experience the joy of the story. So write a short script and include a lot of well known songs and invite the audience to sing. You will find that it is one of the best programs you have ever had and the audience will enjoy it just as much as those that are performing. Merry Christmas and have a good Christmas program.