Plano church community supports 1,200-member Christmas production

Church community supports Holiday Christmas production

With a cast and crew of 1,200 people, a North Texas church tells the Christmas story in a big way, thanks to a massive labor of love by church members.

PLANO, Texas - With a cast and crew of 1,200 people, a North Texas church tells the Christmas story in a big way, thanks to a massive labor of love by church members. 

In recent years, however, the production has drawn viral attention for being "over-the-top."

Gift of Christmas

Prestonwood Baptist's ‘Gift of Christmas’

For many in North Texas, attending Prestonwood Baptist’s "Gift of Christmas" has been a special family tradition for years. 

While some have recently criticized the production, many in the community have a deep appreciation for the volunteer-driven show.

The show features flying angels, a 50-piece orchestra, live animals and 1,200 performers, of which 95 percent are volunteer church members. 

Gift of Christmas is not funded through church tithes. Rather, it funds itself through its own ticket sales for the 14 shows, all the way down to the bibles that are given away. 

'It literally takes a village'

Gift of Christmas

What they're saying:

Andy Pearson is the creative director for the operation. It's his 25th year putting on the massive production, and the excitement is still fresh. 

"There are 1,200 performers in our show, from our kids' choir, adult choir, dancers, singers, to our orchestra backstage team. It is a massive production. I don't know of many places that have this many people involved in a two-hour show," Pearson said.

Among them is Giovanna Scroggins.

"My biggest role is a new role. I am an aerialist if you will, flying through the air. I don't want to give too much away," she teased.

For Scroggins, the Gift of Christmas is a longtime tradition.

"Since I was a little girl, 4 to 5 years old. Grown up in Prestonwood," said Scroggins. "I do it with my mom every year."

"We could not do this without our volunteers," Pearson said.

‘It is over the top’

Gift of Christmas

While the production recently drew viral criticism for being extravagant, Pearson says pulling out all the stops is the whole point. 

"One hundred percent, it is over the top," Pearson said. "Our pastor has told us one of his mottos is, "excellence in all things, and all things to the glory of God," and that is what this show is. It is over the top. We look at our community and there is so much competing for our time, and that we can put this on to this scale. It is awesome."

Among the volunteers is church member Tanya Walch, who sews many of the costumes with her mom and now daughter. 

"We've always loved the costumes. Now to see them up there and think we had a part, we think how we got to do this. The Lord has blessed us to use the sewing abilities he gave us to serve the Lord in this way," said Walch.

Jill Chatham, the kids worship coordinator, says the production is also a way to minister to the church's youth. 

"We instill in kids to not have that fear. They can get on a stage at the gift of Christmas and share the gospel and let them know what fun it is to celebrate Jesus," said Chatham. 

Which is, for them, the true "gift of Christmas." 

"It literally takes a village to do this," said Pearson.