Orange : Holiday Pageant Seen as Commercial Alternative

Mimes, puppet shows and a re-enactment of the Christmas Nativity scene will be among the offerings at a 3-day Christmas pageant designed to be a family-oriented alternative to the commercial atmosphere of the holiday season.

The pageant, Dec. 16-18, will be held on the 13-acre convent grounds of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, who are sponsoring the event with nine other Orange County Christian organizations.

Pageant proceeds will go to agencies that assist the homeless.

Clowns and strolling minstrels and a sing-along for children are planned. Youngsters in the St. Joseph Ballet Company of Santa Ana will present a worship service.

Besides the depiction of the Nativity scene, a traditional candle-lit Mexican Las Posadas procession will highlight the re-enactment of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem.

Storytellers will tell tales of Christmas, carolers will sing and booths will offer traditional and ethnic snacks. There will be face painting and a petting zoo.

“We hope that this pageant will become an annual tradition to celebrate not only the bounty of material goods, but also the spiritual dimensions of Christmas, including compassion towards the less fortunate,” said Sister Eileen McNerney, director of the event.

Admission is $1 and reservations, which are required, may be made by calling (714) 744-3175. Hours are 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 16 and 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18. The address is 480 S. Batavia St.

In conjunction with the pageant, the Christian groups plan to bus homeless people to Mater Dei High School from noon to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 18 for a Christmas meal. A live Nativity scene will be depicted by developmentally handicapped children and young adults, and two choral groups will present a concert. The public is invited, although the meal will be restricted to the homeless. The event will be financed through donations.