The holidays are chaotic. And that’s OK.

The youngest members of the First Reformed Church in Oak Harbor payed tribute to the holiday through a live re-enactment of the Christmas story in true festive fashion.

The scene was that of commotion and disarray. But so was the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and baby Jesus’ birth.

“This is a living nativity,” said Senior Pastor Jon Brown. “There were no rehearsals, so we get a Christmas pageant without the extra pressure.”

About 50 children participated in the fifth annual Christmas Story, he said, and the cast continues to grow each and every year.

Associate Pastor Brian Boersma called the young characters to the stage as their parts played out. Sheep, lions, cows and dogs, shepherds and angels, wise men and wise women, too, all celebrated the birth of Christ.

The youngsters, all dressed in costume, provided much of the comic relief. In addition to song, the show was accentuated by an occasional call for moms and dads, some of whom accompanied their aspiring actors to the stage.

Five-year-old Kristina Jones participated in the Christmas pageant for the third consecutive year, and already knows which character she’ll play next, said her mother Alysia, who enjoyed the spectacle from the second row.

In the true Christmas spirit, the youth of First Reformed Church playfully reminded their parents that the joy of an unpredictable and jumbled holiday celebration is more about who it’s enjoyed with, not the way it’s observed.