Leading up to the Christmas season, my daughter kept asking and and asking, When would she get to play with her nativity set? Now that it’s out of the box and on display, I love watching her play out the story of Jesus’ birth, especially as she discovers more about its significance each year.

One really great way to share the story of the first Christmas with kids is to take them to see a “live nativity”—a depiction of the story of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and their visitors using live actors and sometimes even animals. If you’re interested in sharing that experience with your kids—we are!—here are a few opportunities you’ll find in our area this Christmas: