Democracy for Christmas: Voting on Gifts for Baby Jesus

In the UK city of Newcastle, children are using participatory budgeting to celebrate Christmas. To connect with the city’s UDecide initiative, the Scotswood Play Centre added audience voting into this year’s nativity play. As the play centre’s manager described:

“We felt that to include the U-decide concept in the play would introduce children to the way it works and how they can vote for activities that will benefit them and their community. Voting themes in the play included deciding on whether Mary and Joseph should travel to Scotswood on a wonky donkey, a scooter or in a shopping trolley. Also, they decided on what gifts would be given to the baby Jesus.”