Revealed: The five classic Christmas story elements that DON'T actually appear in the Bible
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Every December, millions of children across the UK take part in their school nativity play. The nativity, also known as the Christmas pageant, claims to tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. But if your child has been cast as the inn keeper or the little donkey, there's bad news.
![[The Christmas story paints Bethlehem as a 'quiet town', with several festive hymns and carols mentioning a 'silent night'. But according to Professor Greenough, Bethlehem would likely have been 'bustling' on the night of Jesus' birth. Pictured: The census at Bethlehem, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93269565-14205119-image-a-31_1734520436238.jpg)
Professor Chris Greenough, a Professor of Social Sciences at Edge Hill University, says that these Christmas story characters actually don't appear in the Bible. 'Some of best-known parts of the Christmas story aren't in the Bible at all,' he wrote in an article for The Conversation.
![[In the Nativity story, Mary and Joseph are often depicted traveling to Bethlehem on a donkey. However, the Bible does not mention a donkey at all]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93270001-14205119-image-a-32_1734520480190.jpg)
'Although Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Bible offers scant information on when Mary gave birth. 'In fact, there's very little about Jesus' birth and infancy in the gospel accounts as a whole – his early life only became of interest later because of his ministry.
![[The inn keeper is one of the pivotal characters in the school nativity play, tasked with delivering the classic line of 'there's no room in the inn' to Mary and Joseph. However, this character does not appear in the Bible - and neither does the stable]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93269995-14205119-image-a-33_1734520600927.jpg)
'What the Bible does tell us is that there were few people at Jesus' birth: only his parents, shepherds who attended later, followed by a visit from the magi (the wise men).'. Professor Chris Greenough, a Professor of Social Sciences at Edge Hill University, says that five Christmas story elements actually don't appear in the Bible - including any animals.
![[The Bible mentions the wise men - or 'magi' - who were guided by the star and entered a 'house'. However, it does not specifically mention that there were three wise men, according to Professor Greenough]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93269997-14205119-image-a-34_1734520610790.jpg)
The Christmas story paints Bethlehem as a 'quiet town', with several festive hymns and carols mentioning a 'silent night'. But according to Professor Greenough, Bethlehem would likely have been 'bustling' on the night of Jesus' birth. Pictured: The census at Bethlehem, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
