On Tuesday, December 9, (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST) as part of their festive holiday programming, ABC airs KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS. The Academy Award winning actor hosts this special exploring the extraordinary journey of Mary and Joseph as they navigate the hardships, trials, and triumphs surrounding Jesus Christ’s birth, offering an inspiring way to experience the true meaning of Christmas.  Click here to see the trailer for KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.

Produced by Warm Springs Productions and directed by David L. Cunningham, it stars Gia Patel, Ethan Thorne, Corinne Furman, Paulina Gálvez, Mohamed Zouaoui, Chaouqi Abdellatif, Saif Al-Warith, Anthony Barclay, Alejandro Barrios, Ibrahim Elouahabi, Simeon, Ché Grant, Kods Joundoul, Marco Lo Chiatto, Sinan Sicimoglu, and Stefano Venturi.

Produced by Warm Springs Productions and directed by David L. Cunningham, Award-winning actor Kevin Costner hosts this special. It also stars Gia Patel, Ethan Thorne, Corinne Furman, Paulina Gálvez, Mohamed Zouaoui, Chaouqi Abdellatif, Saif Al-Warith, Anthony Barclay, Alejandro Barrios, Ibrahim Elouahabi, Simeon, Ché Grant, Kods Joundoul, Marco Lo Chiatto, Sinan Sicimoglu, and Stefano Venturi.

About KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

Kevin Costner hosts the KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS special which explores the extraordinary journey of Mary and Joseph and the Birth of Jesus. The two-hour special features reenactments of pivotal moments in the Bible story as Mary and Joseph face uncertainty and the miraculous gift which they have been entrusted with unfolds, while delving deeper into the emotional significance of the events and diversity of the Christian faith.

 Like many families, my husband and I have a list of movies, cartoons, specials, and documentaries we watch each year as part of our celebration of Christmas. The trailer for KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS was intriguing, but we weren’t sure what to expect from this special. We were surprised at how much we enjoyed it.

If you love stories surrounding the Birth of Jesus, this is a must see. It is rich with historical, cultural, and biblical details. It includes interviews with biblical and archeological experts, who share information not only about the Bible story, but also about the history, culture, and archeology of that time, including information about the Roman rule over the land, King Herod, Simeon, the three magi/wise men. It shares information about Mary and Joseph and what life would have been like in Nazareth, including the marriage traditions for the Jewish people of that time.

The Birth Story in this special is not as one would expect from the pristine Nativity creches on mantels. It was portrayed realistically; from a small, dirty town where the Roman soldiers come to announce the census; the betrothal of Mary and Joseph; the visitation of the angels who did not look like delicate winged women but massive, strong warriors of God; the challenge Mary—and later Joseph—faced over this unusual pregnancy. It followed their journey to Bethlehem; Mary’s unexpected labor; Joseph trying to find some place where she could give birth; the shepherds shocked by the angelic announcement; the visit of the magi; taking the baby Jesus to Jerusalem to be presented at the Temple, the blessing spoken by Anne and Simeon; their flight to Egypt and the heinous Slaughter of the Innocents.

The blend of history, culture, and Scriptures KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS brought new insight into what we truly celebrate during this holy season. This special will definitely join our list of Christmas traditions.

With a two-hour runtime, KEVIN COSTNER PRESENTS: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS has scenes and language that might be difficult for young children to watch.

It airs 8:00–10:00 (EST) Tuesday, December 9 on ABC and begins streaming the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

For more information:
ABC website
Hulu website
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#TheFirstChristmas

Picture of Kevin Costner: Used by permission from Disney/Christopher Willard