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Can’t wait until Christmas Eve or Christmas day to hear the story of Jesus’ birth? No problem. Many parishes and schools are portraying it beginning this weekend. Below are the times and places around the diocese where you can experience a live re-enactment of the greatest story ever told or enjoy local renditions of other great Christmas classics.

Please note that this is not exhaustive, but just a listing of pageants and such I’ve stumbled across.

So just in case your family’s schedule, work schedule or school schedule interferes with your chance to experience the Christmas pageant at your parish — or if you just can never hear enough of the Christmas story — feel free to join in one of the other local celebrations of Christ’s birth:

6 p.m. Dec. 5
3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 6 —
Ss. Simon and Jude students present “The Grinch Who Lost Christmas.” Choose from a dinner show Dec. 5 or a matinee the following day. Family passes are available with tickets for sale in the cathedral office, school office and cathedral gift shop. 

7 p.m. Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 —

See Buon Natale Greccio Dec. 5-6.

Buon Natale Greccio at the Franciscan Renewal Center. In this follow-up to last year’s performance, Buon Natale Greccio uses story and song to tell about St. Francis and his portrayal of the humility, poverty and simplicity of Jesus’ birth which touched the lives of villagers in Greccio, Italy and established the well-known tradition of displaying nativity scenes.
For tickets or more information, call (480) 948-7460.

These are by no means your only options this weekend. Too busy this weekend? You have some options next weekend as well.

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 6 —
“The Christmas Express” is a funny and heartwarming show according to the e-mail I received about it courtesy of my affiliation with a Yahoo groups page. Apparently the sender — who I don’t even know — is one of the “Random Actors” starring in the “touching, uproarious comedy” at St. Helen Parish. At least that’s how the parish bulletin described the play. It’s aimed at those “who get a little ‘thrown off-track’ around the holidays and is sure to rekindle the Christmas spirit in all of us.” For more information, call Dave (602) 329-4246.

2-4 p.m. Dec. 7 —
“Light of the World” Christmas pageant at Xavier College Preparatory. This free show features the Xavier girls as they lead guests joyfully and prayerfully through the story of Christ’s birth. For more information, contact the box office, pacbox@xcp.org or call (602) 240-3161.

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 —
“The Christmas Express.” See Dec. 6 for more information.

6 p.m. Dec. 14 —
“The Stable” at Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Lake Havasu City. I found this listing for a Christmas play in the parish bulletin. I imagine some of the religious education students star in it as it looks like the announcement was in that part of the bulletin.