As part of my Christmas Reading Challenge, I listened to the audio version of The Best Worst Christmas Pageant Ever.  It was a fairly quick book to listen to and amusing.  The listener/reader quickly realizes how much our social values have changed when the narrator talks about the “fat kids” and how, after church, the mother’s go home to make dinner while the fathers watch football.

The story takes place when the dreaded Herdman family become involved in the church’s annual Christmas Pageant.  This family who are known for fighting, swearing, bullying and smoking cigars come to church one week after hearing how many snacks there were at Sunday School.  They become interested in the pageant and begin to learn the Christmas story.  After bullying the other children not to volunteer for the prime parts in the play, hilarity ensues.

This is a funny holiday read and left me chuckling during my drive.  The book was originally written in 1971.  It has been adapted into a play and then, in 1983, a made for TV movie.