Friends, do you remember last year I was a total scrooge when it came to Christmas?

Well this year I can't be, I'm already totally engrossed in Christmas!!

We live in the Cynon valley (Cwm Cynon) and all of the churches have gotten together to put on an amazing production, running the first week of December.

We're being advised by Cardiff - The Christmas story who have run theirs for the last 3 years, and I can't wait to see our version!

However....there are a good lot of costumes. props & scenery that need creating, let alone auditions to be held, donkey's to hire, stables to be built, schools to visit, hand bells to purchase etc. Fortunately I'm only one very small part of the team, I'm not even on the steering group (I know, you're amazed, right?). I'm just one of the costumes team. You know me though, I'm sure I'll let it take over my whole life for the next 8 weeks!

Not quite a sweat shop yet, but we're nearly there!

I've got some great posts to share with you as we go through creating the costumes, in case anyone else ever searches for bible times peasant costumes, or King Herod's cloak and can't find a pattern, like us!

Cutting out the villager's costumes

You all know how rubbish I am at remembering to update to do lists on my blog, but just in case I have a fit of organisation, I've typed up a list of all the characters & their costume components so that I can link to any future posts for anyone searching for this info.

Character list & costumes

Mary
Muslin tunic
Blue over garment
Lighter blue long shawl/scarf
Muslin headcovering
Pregnancy belly

Joseph
Dust sheet tunic (slightly brown)
Brown striped over garment
Possibly a felt moulded hat/skull cap

Mary's Mother
Dust sheet tunic
Olive green over garment

Herod
White cotton shift
Main garment (Purple velvet & calico)
Shoulder cape with embellishment
Black polar fleece cloak
Beaded collar

Villagers x 6 minimum
(Mary's friend and Joseph's friend to be slightly more visible)
Dust sheet tunics
Dust sheet overgarments
Both of the above to be made in muted colours, olives, reds, browns.
Head covering
Travelling cloaks

Roman soldiers x 2
Red short tunics
Armour to be made

Herod's attendants x 2
Long white cotton tunics
Black short over garments with slight embellishment

Shepherds x 3
Grey dust sheet tunic
Heavy cotton over garment
Costumes to look dirty

Mobile angel
White cotton tunic
White paj silk billowy dress
Feather wings to be purchased

Wise men x 3
Tunic with elaborate sleeves
T shaped coat
Semi circle cloak with armholes (to ground)
Shoulder cape
To be made from velvets, silks, brocades

It's a lot to be done, and the props list is hefty too, but there's a lot of us, I'm sure we can pull it together and put on an amazing production! I'll let you know nearer the time when the performance times are etc if you want to come along.

If anyone's interested in helping with the costumes & props, pop along to the Parish hall in Monk Street on Wednesday, this week we'll be there 10am - 3pm but just come for however long you can. Don't worry about not knowing anyone, we're all from different churches and are finding it's easy to slot in when no body knows anyone else!

If you want to like the facebook page, or follow the twitter feed, you're very welcome!