The Advent pageants, where students re-enact the Christmas story, has seen an increase in the participation from Australian youth who are taking over their local streets and shopping centres to celebrate Christmas.
Matt Garvin, the national spokesman for Fusion Australia, one of the ministry co-ordinating the event with 'Schools in Harmony,' said the pageant remains the nation the integral role Christmas played in our childhood and stressed the star of this show was the children.
"We agree with the Premier of Victoria in his call to keep Christmas a central part of what growing up in Australia is all about. In many places the pageants will hear from Mayors, Politicians, Ministers and other community leaders, however the feature of these pageants is that the children are the stars," Mr. Garvin said.
The pageant with the highest number of student's participation is in Burnie, Tasmania, but all States and Territories will also hold one.
"The biggest pageant today will be in the city of Burnie, Tasmania where over 1300 children will take to the streets – but almost every state and Territory will see the children celebrating Christmas in this unique way."
This event, starting in 2000 in Australia, was also occurring throughout the world where children would be parading through shopping centres and singing Carols.
Mr. Garvin hoped that more schools would join this event in the future where they not only connect with each other but also to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.