It is a part of Christmas that many children enjoy performing in and parents love watching.
But a church in Diss has decided to celebrate the Christmas Nativity a different way this year as it invites youngsters to go on the hunt around the town.
St Mary's Church has placed a number of small, knitted sheep around the town for children and families to seek out.
The story is that shepherds Joshua and Anna have lost their sheep and they need to be returned before Christmas.
The sheep will be placed in shops around the town centre. Stores will display a poster letting children know that some lost sheep have been found in the store but the staff do not know what to do with them. If the children say they know where to take the sheep they will receive one.
The idea to hide the sheep around the town came from one of Rev Evans friends who had written a play about Joshua and Anna. But she decided that instead of performing the play the whole community could get involved.
Rev Wendy Evans said: 'The story of Joshua and Anna's lost sheep has caught the imagination of the people of Diss and it's been a delight to see the faces of both the shop staff and the children's parent light up as they find a lost sheep.'
The children, and their families, are then invited to bring the sheep to St Mary's Church on Christmas Eve where they will be returned to the shepherds and the children will get to hear the story of Christmas.
Rev Evans added: 'The sheep in the story represent ourselves, that we are lost until we find god but this is a fun way of getting back into church for Christmas Eve.
'The stores are happy when the sheep return and the schools love the story, I have a big sheep this year called bar-brah.
'It engages the whole community and we have a fun time.'
Joshua and Anna will be receiving their lost sheep at the Crib Service on Christmas Eve at 5pm in St Mary's Church, Diss or the Family Service on Christmas Day at 10.30am.'
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