1. Re-told by
Ewan the Sheep

2. Ewan loved Christmas, it was
so full of glossy paper,
ribbons and presents.
He loved the smell of
Christmas trees and cold
nights, the colours from the
bright lights and late-night
shopping.

3. His favourite time was Christmas morning,
when all the animals on the farm would open
their presents, a mound of bulging parcels,
with shouts of surprise and laughter. Then,
when the presents were all opened and the
wrapping paper sat high in the corner like a
paper Mount Everest, then Ewan would sit
happily back in his big arm chair and tell
them about the first Christmas.

4. In a town called Nazareth lived a young woman
called Mary. She lived with her mother and
father and was, one day, to be married to a man
called Joseph.
Then, one day, an angel
appeared and told Mary
she had been chosen by
God to bring a special baby
boy into the world, who
would be called Jesus.
“Do not be frightened,” said the angel,
“God will look after you.”

5. It was a long, dark night as Joseph and Mary
travelled to Bethlehem. It was such a long
journey and poor Mary felt quite ill because
she was soon to have her baby.
Mary and Joseph walked
up to an inn, a beautiful
hotel, glittering with
warmth and soft lights,
offering good food and
comfy beds.
But the place
was full and the
innkeeper just
shook his head.

6. Saved by the kind innkeeper, Mary and Joseph
crept around the back of the inn where they were
allowed to sleep in the old, damp, crumbling stable.
That was where, surrounded by the animals, Mary
gave birth to her beautiful child, the most
important baby in the world.

7. Then, Ewan’s eyes would light up and he would
talk about the shepherds, running madly down
the hill, faster and faster, not stopping until
they had rushed into the stable and almost
tripped over Jesus, lying in the manger, in the
animals’ food stall!

8. The shepherds looked in
amazement, they laughed and
cried, they shouted to each
other and then they knelt and
prayed in front of the baby.

9. They knew that this baby was
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
In another country, far, far away from
Bethlehem, three wise men had
watched the stars and also knew that
baby Jesus was to be born that night.

10. They followed the star.
They took gold because he
was King of the earth.
They took frankincense
because he was King of
heaven.
They took myrrh because
they knew that one day the
King would die.

11. Herod didn't like the
sound of this. He was
the king and no one else
was going to take his
place.
But he smiled and said,
"Tell me when you have
found him and I will
come and worship him
too!“
Secretly he said to himself “When I
know where he is, I will kill him!"

12. The three wise men offered Jesus their
gifts and knelt by the baby and prayed.
They looked at each other in the dim light
and smiled.
“He is here,” they whispered. “The King of
heaven and earth is born!”.

13. An angel came to warn
the new family of King
Herod's plan. It wasn't
safe to stay in
Bethlehem any longer.
Mary and Joseph took
their baby Jesus, crept
out into the night and
travelled to a place
where King Herod could
not hurt them.

14. The baby Jesus was safe.
As he grew up the world would
hear the special message the
son of God had brought for all
people.
Now each year we
celebrate
Jesus' birth at
Christmas.

15. Re-told by
Ewan the Sheep