A Seattle Christmas

Ivar's Santa Clam

Around here, we put our own spin on the traditions.

The weekend after The Windstorm (it's still waiting for a name) I went to the church I've mentioned before. I seem to keep coming back to this church.

And maybe this story will sort of explain why.

It was the day of the Christmas Pageant. I was still on-call to whether or not we would have a show, so I put the cell on vibrate and sat in the back. I couldn't see much of what was going on, just the center of the stage. Unable to see the smallest children.

There was only one Joseph but four Virgin Mary-s. And one mic stand.

Angel: [takes two steps forward]: I bring you good news! [step step back]

Mary 1: [step step forward] What is it? [step step back]

Angel: [step step - says one line]

Mary 2: [step step - one line]

and on and on.

I had to take the theatre call, so I missed why there were four owls (barnyard owls over the manger, perhaps?). After the pageant, the kids went to go find where their parents were sitting for the rest of the service. This is when I saw a boy of about three in a full dinosaur costume. Maybe he was a lizard. They probably have lizards in Bethlehem.

When I went up to receive communion, I was able to see baby Jesus lying in the manger - the part being played by a black female doll.

The Lenin statue gets lit. Read the full article about the lighting of the statue (and why Seattle has a statue of Lenin to begin with).

Both pictures taken from the Seattle-PI.