What's the matter with me

I was afraid I would cry at my youngest grandson’s nativity, just as I always did at my own children’s Christmas concerts but no, it was just so funny that his mum and I could barely control our laughter. They had included every reception child so there were 5 Josephs and 4 Marys (one was off sick) but just one baby doll, 4 innkeepers though the only one with a speaking rôle was my grandson, two sets of wise men, numerous sheep and cattle and angels in fairy dresses. As always there was the child who stood up then couldn’t say a word and the one who couldn’t lift her head for nerves, the gabblers and the shouters and our little chap who added a little jiggle and then swallowed the second half of his sentence. It was wonderful and hilarious and I didn’t see any obvious tears.

Probably it helped that all the songs were sung to familiar nursery rhyme tunes. Traditional Carols always set me off.

I cry now, but not when I was teaching infants. I was the one who had to teach the carols to the whole school, direct the choir and play the piano at the same time - I needed to be able to see the music!

It’s a granny thing. Take a look round and you will see many tears being shed or swallowed.

That video is brilliant. Last night I watched a film of my granddaughter singing at yesterday’s nativity, she sat watching with me and sang throughout, with such gusto and the occasional malapropism, I had a job not to laugh as well as cry. Such wonderful innocence.

Doesn't have to be children for me, anyone singing carols (even me) starts me off. What is it about carols ??

It wouldn't be the same unless all the mums & grannies were crying!! I always have a good weep.
Mind you my son was a bit miffed when they did Joseph & Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat his last year at Primary school & I sobbed throughout! He was Herod ( AKA Elvis) & it was just fantastic. We still remind him of it regularly & he's 44 now!

Thank you Shysal, for leading me to this BRILLIANT video which I will keep looking at for ever.

Actually I cry at the little girl on the advert who goes to the top of the tree- every time it is on!

Me too......I am a Grandad as well..............

I was caught unawares in 1960. In my first job at a Camberwell primary school I took my junior class into the hall for a Christmas concert. The Reception class began to sing Away in a Manger and unexpectedly there were tears in my eyes. At the time I thought it was just me. It still gets me every time.
This year a Christmas card with a picture of robed choirboys walking to church pulled my heartstrings. I was remembering when my oldest grandson was in a church choir. The opening solo of Once in Royal David's City from King's College Chapel also moves me.

I get tearful over DGC's nativity plays, but one year, when DD2 was away travelling and wouldn't be home for Christmas, I outdid myself by breaking down in tears in the Shopping Mall in Tunbridge Wells, when the carols started.

Minerva - We had a wonderful Joseph one year, when Mary told him she was expecting he ad libbed 'I'm deli'ed' with strong S London accent. Then a confident narrator popped up with 'Nine months la'er!'. Happy days, they must all be well into their 60s now, grandparents themselves.

The first year that out gd came to live with us, her class room teacher gave her the part of Mary in the nativity.
My dd and I were in tears watching her singing her head off.
I used to be a TA so when I worked with year 1 and 2 we would be busy rehearsing for the play. I always shed a tear as soon as the choir started singing.

To answer your question: Nothing! We all do it. Part of the ageing process, I think.

Yes, I think you're SUPPOSED to cry!

Shysal that is hilarious!

Recorder music in a church sets me off without fail.

Absolutely nothing wrong with you at all, I struggle to keep the tears from coming.

Absolutely hilarious shysal. I have got tears----with laughing.

Bless her little cotton socks .

Its completely normal, its being human.

I only have to see a fruit cake at Christmas to well up. Children singing just finishes me off - working in a school for years I never attended the Christmas concert as I didn't want to emerge with a soggy face; I watched rehearsals and slid out when emotion got the better of me.

Shysal brilliant.

Shysal Thankyou so much! I've watched that clip three times now.Best laugh I've had for months

I always cried at my children's plays and even now, get emotional thinking about or watching an old DVD of their school plays, parties and sports days.
My GC and GGC live at some distance and so have not been able to attend so many of their school events, however, those I have seen get me quite choked but not as much as with my AC when they were small.