CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Friday was a big day for 8-year-old Cece Largen. 

What You Need To Know

Myers Park Baptist Church held its Christmas Eve family service for the first time in two years on Friday

This was its first “pop-up” nativity performance

Children sang popular Christmas songs like “Joy to the World” after the nativity play

It’s not just one day closer to opening presents. 

“It’s exciting! Tonight there is a new baby,” Largen read from a script.

It’s time to remember what Christmas is really about. 

“How when Jesus was born,” she said.

In a nativity performance for church, she was one of the angels who spread the good news about the birth of Jesus Christ.

“I’m really excited to do this, because we haven’t done this in like two years I think,” she said.

For the first time since 2019, Myers Park Baptist Church held its Christmas Eve family service on Friday. 

Largen’s mom, Tempie Largen, sat about 50 feet away from her as she performed, getting emotional thinking about how different this Christmas is compared to last year.

She described her emotions as tears of joy.

“Just excitement, and I mean, it’s good to see them vaccinated, able to see each other,” Tempie Largen said. “And being able to see other kids and see all the other families that we kind of missed last year.”

After the nativity play, the congregation sang Christmas favorites like “Joy to the World” and “Away in a Manger.” Cece Largen said her favorite thing about Christmas isn’t the presents, but spending time with her family and having fun.