Glory of Christmas - Crystal Cathedral

Glory of Christmas is held annually from late November through the end of December

The Crystal Cathedral's Glory of Christmas is, at its heart, an old-fashioned Christmas pageant. The same story of the Christ-child's birth has been celebrated for decades in churches throughout the country, but this production is anything but old-fashioned. Instead of standing wearing tinsel halos and aluminum-foil-and-cardboard wings, Glory of Christmas angels fly through the air. Live adult camels, horses and other livestock appear on stage rather than cardboard cutouts.

The soaring Crystal Cathedral is the perfect venue for the flying angels, who upstage the rest of the performance both literally and figuratively.

Performed to an orchestral accompaniment pre-recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Glory of Christmas features all the traditional scenes of Jesus' birth from Mary and Joseph's engagement through their trip to Bethlehem and the visit of the three kings.

Each scene is beautifully staged. The dance numbers are nicely choreographed and enthusiastically performed. Traditional Christmas carol favorites mix with contemporary songs, and you may find yourself humming along. The Glory of Christmas shares one characteristic with the simplest of pageants: nervous performers sing a little off-key here, too.