聖誕劇遙想 / Reflecting on Christmas Plays

當我看歐美聖誕電影時，每到了聖誕期間，很多電影常常有演聖誕劇的橋段，可能是以戲劇表演的形式呈現，而歐美的兒童好像也習以為常，我記得我學生時代，也沒有聽過有類似聖誕劇的活動，不過，舞會之類的活動倒是蠻多的，我身邊只有很少數會常上教會的朋友，但他們在聖誕節期間，他們幾乎不會提到聖誕劇表演，反而會邀請朋友們參加交換禮物的活動，只有一些孩子在雙語學教就讀的朋友，會被要求參加學校舉辦的的聖誕劇活動。

為何我會提到聖誕劇呢？因為不久前，在市民廣場的聖誕活動上，看到舞台上有聖誕劇的表演，演員表演的很賣力，但是我猜台下的觀眾應該沒有很愛看，突然想到，歐美電影上其實還蠻多聖誕劇的橋段，這類表演通常以耶穌降生的故事為主軸作為表演，對很多歐美國家的孩童而言，聖誕劇是他們首次登台表演的機會，而該劇也因其幽默、簡潔，以及偶發的意外，而受到觀眾喜愛。

當我在廣場周邊閒逛時，發現有著數輛花燈車，花燈車的主題居然是聖經故事，如《耶穌的誕生》、《天使的訊息》、《牧羊人的夜晚》及《東方三博士》等，我會知道這些是因為，我小時候有看過聖經故事的卡通，所以，我依稀知道這些故事主題及它想表達的是甚麼，雖然我沒有讀過聖經，也沒有信西方宗教，但是這點常識我還算有，再仔細想想，雖然聖誕節因為其歡樂的氣氛而備受人們喜愛，但其實它還有著深沉的宗教含意，而聖誕劇的意義在於，它不僅是一段古老的敘事，更是一個活生生的文化載體，讓愛、希望、分享與和解永遠與我們同在。

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When I watch Western Christmas movies, I often notice that many of them include scenes of Christmas plays during the holiday season. These plays are usually performed as stage dramas, and it seems quite normal for kids in Western countries to participate in them. Looking back on my school days, I don’t recall any similar activities. Instead, events like dances or parties were more common. Among my friends, only a few who regularly attended church mentioned Christmas-related activities, but even then, they rarely talked about Christmas play performances. Instead, they would invite friends to join gift exchange events. The only exception was kids attending bilingual schools, where they were sometimes required to participate in school-organized Christmas plays.

Why am I bringing up Christmas plays? Not long ago, I attended a Christmas event at a public square and saw a Christmas play performed on stage. The actors were giving it their all, but I had the impression that the audience wasn’t particularly into it. It suddenly reminded me of how Christmas plays often show up in Western movies. These performances are usually based on the story of Jesus’s birth and serve as many children’s first chance to perform on stage. They’re popular because of their humor, simplicity, and the occasional unexpected mishaps that make them more endearing to the audience.

As I wandered around the square, I noticed several parade floats decorated with themes from Bible stories, like The Nativity of Jesus, The Angel’s Message, The Night of the Shepherds, and The Visit of the Magi. I recognized these themes because I watched cartoons about Bible stories when I was younger, so I have a rough idea of what they’re about. Even though I’ve never read the Bible or practiced a Western religion, I’m familiar with the basics. Thinking about it further, while Christmas is widely loved for its joyful atmosphere, it also holds deep religious significance. Christmas plays, in particular, are more than just retelling an old story—they’re a living cultural expression that keeps the themes of love, hope, sharing, and reconciliation alive for everyone.

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