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* ThrowItIn: In-universe, the Herdmans improvise multiple parts of the Nativity play. Gladys terrifies the shepherds by shouting at them (which works as EnforcedMethodActing); Imogene burps the baby Jesus doll; Leroy and his brothers bring a ham instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Everyone ends up agreeing that it improved things a lot, since they've heard the story so many times they never stopped to think about what it really would have been like for Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the three Wise Men.
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* BabyBeMine: When everyone is trying to figure out how to get a baby to use to play Jesus in the titular pageant, Imogene Herdman suggests kidnapping a baby. [[DefiedTrope It does not take long for this idea to get shot down.]]
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* BabyBeMine: When everyone is trying to figure out how to get a baby to use to play Jesus in the titular pageant, Imogene Herdman suggests kidnapping a baby. [[DefiedTrope [[RealityEnsues It does not take long for this idea to get shot down.]]
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-> ''"Hey! Unto you a child is born!"''
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* AdultsAreUseless: No adult ever does anything about the Herdmans wreaking havoc. A Child Welfare worker checks up on them every month or so, but even she can't do much except come by every so often to make sure they haven't burned their house down or whatever.
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* AdultsAreUseless: No adult ever does anything about the Herdmans wreaking havoc. A Child Welfare social worker checks up on them every month or so, but even she can't (or won't) do much except come by every so often to make sure they haven't burned their house down or whatever.
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* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Herdmans, “talk dirty, hit little kids, cuss their teachers...and take the name of the Lord in vain.”
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* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Herdmans, Herdmans “talk dirty, hit little kids, cuss their teachers...and take the name of the Lord in vain.”
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* BigBrotherBully: The Herdmans beat up each other as often as they beat up everyone else. They're always covered in black-and-blue bruises from fighting each other.
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* BigBrotherBully: The Herdmans beat up each other as often as they beat up everyone else.else (which is to say, a lot). They're always covered in black-and-blue bruises from fighting each other.
* HiddenDepths: The Herdmans are genuinely interested in the story of Jesus' birth and get more invested in the Christmas pageant than anyone thought they would. On stage, they improvise some things such as Imogene burping baby Jesus and the Wise Men bringing a ham instead of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
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* HiddenDepths: The Herdmans are genuinely interested in the story of Jesus' birth and get more invested in the Christmas pageant than anyone thought they would. On stage, they improvise some things such as Imogene burping baby Jesus and the Wise Men bringing a ham instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
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* MamaBear: Instead of a delicate and serene Mary, Imogene portrays Mary as ready to clobber anyone who gets near her baby.
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* LeanAndMean: The Herdmans are described as skinny and stringy-haired, and boy, are they mean.
* MamaBear: Instead of a delicate and serene Mary, Imogene portrays Mary as ready to clobber anyone who gets near herbaby.baby, even Joseph and the Wise Men.
* MamaBear: Instead of a delicate and serene Mary, Imogene portrays Mary as ready to clobber anyone who gets near her
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* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The narrator's mom is in charge of the Christmas pageant this year, and she's as patient with the Herdmans as anyone can possibly be.
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* AdultsAreUseless: No adult ever does anything about the Herdmans wreaking havoc. A Child Welfare worker checks up on them every month or so, but even she can't do much except come by every so often to make sure they haven't burned their house down or whatever.
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* BigBrotherBully: The Herdmans beat up each other as often as they beat up everyone else. They're always covered in black-and-blue bruises from fighting each other.
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* EarAche: Imogene once shoved a pussywillow so far down Ollie's ear he had to go to the hospital to get it removed.
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* KickTheSonOfABitch: As the narrator puts it, some kids are just so annoying that it's almost a relief when the Herdmans give them their just desserts. Wanda, a fat girl who does nothing but brag about the expensive charms on her bracelet, gets her turn when Imogene finds out how much she weighs and threatens to tell everyone unless Wanda gives her the bracelet. (She gets it.)
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* HiddenDepths: The Herdmans.
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* HiddenDepths: The Herdmans.Herdmans are genuinely interested in the story of Jesus' birth and get more invested in the Christmas pageant than anyone thought they would. On stage, they improvise some things such as Imogene burping baby Jesus and the Wise Men bringing a ham instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: The Herdmans may be the worst kids in town, but even they're disgusted when they learn that Herod wanted to kill baby Jesus. When they find out the Christmas pageant doesn't have Herod in it, they want to rewrite the whole thing and finish it by hanging him.
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* MamaBear: Instead of a delicate and serene Mary, Imogene portrays Mary as ready to clobber anyone who gets near her baby.
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* BabyBeMine: When everyone is trying to figure out how to get a baby to use to play Jesus in the titular pageant, Imogene Herdman suggests kidnapping a baby. [[DefiedTrope It does not take long for this idea to get shot down.]]
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* JustHereForTheFreeSnacks: How the Herdmans end up in the church; the narrator speculates that 'refreshments' is the longest word they know.
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* AlphaBitch: Alice Wendelken and her mother, both of whom tend to annoy their respective peers with how condescending they are. It's almost cathartic to see the Herdmans knock them down a peg or two.
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** The Herdmans themselves also tend to escape punishments after being the source of repeated pandemonium like putting their cat in a laundromat and setting a toolshed on fire. In the case of the latter, the owner of the toolshed admitted that he more or less was satisfied with losing the shed since it was rundown.
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* TheAce: Alice Wendelken almost always wins the lead roles and Good Citizen of the Month awards though it seems to be implied that a lot of it is from her mother shoving her into those roles.
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* StageMom: Mrs. Wendleken pushes Alice into every role imaginable from being Mary in the Christmas pageant to even having her hooked up to a respirator with her picture taken in the paper to promote the donation. Unlike most examples of kids with these mothers, however, Alice seems to relish being the center of attention.
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*ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Herdmans, “talk dirty, hit little kids, cuss their teachers...and take the name of the Lord in vain.”
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* KarmaHoudini: Discussed as the Herdmans are learning the story of the Nativity. They all end up disgusted upon finding out that after his attempt to kill Christ, the only thing that happens to Herod is that he eventually dies of old age.
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* MoralGuardians: Mrs. Wendleken, who doesn't even want cats to have kittens or birds to lay eggs.
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* MoralGuardians: Mrs. Wendleken, who objects to the kids being told about Mary's pregnancy. According to the narrator, she doesn't even want cats to have kittens or birds to lay eggs.
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There are two sequels: ''The Best School Year Ever'' and ''The Best Halloween Ever''.
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There are two sequels: ''The Best School Year Ever'' and ''The Best Halloween Ever''.
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----
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* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: One of the kids originally offered to play the baby Jesus was four years old. His mother said he could scrunch up.
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* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: One of the kids originally offered to play the baby Jesus was four years old. His mother said he could scrunch up.up.
----
----
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Corrected "noone" to "no one."
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* DisappearedDad: Mr. Herdman jumped on a train and left town two years after Gladys was born. Noone can blame him.
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* DisappearedDad: Mr. Herdman jumped on a train and left town two years after Gladys was born. Noone No one can blame him.
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* MustacheVandalism: At one point, the Herdmans are shown drawing mustaches on illustrations of Jesus.
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* MustacheVandalism: At one point, the Herdmans are shown drawing mustaches on illustrations of Jesus.
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-> ''Hey! Unto you a child is born!''
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-> ''Hey! ''"Hey! Unto you a child is born!''
born!"''
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* FridgeLogic / FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this thanks to the Herdmans, whose unique perspective on the Christmas story helps her to see it in a whole new light. All of the other Sunday school kids have heard the story so many times that they don't even think about it any more, but the Herdmans come to it with fresh eyes; seeing Imogene burp the baby Jesus before laying him in the manger, and the three Wise Men presenting the gift of a holiday ham, prompts prompts Beth to think about what the story really would have been like for the people involved.
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* FridgeLogic / FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this thanks to the Herdmans, whose unique perspective on the Christmas story helps her to see it in a whole new light. All of the other Sunday school kids have heard the story so many times that they don't even think about it any more, but the Herdmans come to it with fresh eyes; seeing Imogene burp the baby Jesus before laying him in the manger, and the three Wise Men presenting the gift of a holiday ham, prompts prompts Beth to think about what the story really would have been like for the people involved.
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* FridgeLogic / FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when the Herdmans help her to see the Christmas story in a whole new light.
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* FridgeLogic / FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when thanks to the Herdmans help her to see Herdmans, whose unique perspective on the Christmas story helps her to see it in a whole new light.light. All of the other Sunday school kids have heard the story so many times that they don't even think about it any more, but the Herdmans come to it with fresh eyes; seeing Imogene burp the baby Jesus before laying him in the manger, and the three Wise Men presenting the gift of a holiday ham, prompts prompts Beth to think about what the story really would have been like for the people involved.
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* HiddenDepths: the Herdmans
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* HiddenDepths: the HerdmansThe Herdmans.
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* EnforcedMethodActing: In-universe, thanks to Gladys Herdman being cast as The Anfel of the Lord. "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid -- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* EnforcedMethodActing: In-universe, thanks to Gladys Herdman being cast as The Anfel Angel of the Lord. "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid -- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* EnforcedMethodActing: "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid -- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* EnforcedMethodActing: In-universe, thanks to Gladys Herdman being cast as The Anfel of the Lord. "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid -- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* FridgeLogic/ FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when the Herdmans help her to see the Christmas story in a whole new light.
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* FridgeLogic/ FridgeLogic / FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when the Herdmans help her to see the Christmas story in a whole new light.
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The Herdmans- Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys- are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they smoke cigars, and they live in an old garage where they bang the door up and down trying to squish each other with an evil attack cat and a mother who works double shifts just to escape them. So what happens when these horrors find their way to church in search of refreshments? Why, they take over the Christmas pageant, of course! And somehow, it turns out to be [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the best Christmas pageant ever]].
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The Herdmans- Herdmans -- Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys- Gladys -- are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they smoke cigars, and they live in an old garage where they bang the door up and down trying to squish each other with an evil attack cat and a mother who works double shifts just to escape them. So what happens when these horrors find their way to church in search of refreshments? Why, they take over the Christmas pageant, of course! And somehow, it turns out to be [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the best Christmas pageant ever]].
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* EnforcedMethodActing: "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* EnforcedMethodActing: "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid- afraid -- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
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* It'sTheBestWhateverEver: The entire point of the book.
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* It'sTheBestWhateverEver: ItsTheBestWhateverEver: The entire point of the book.
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* MissingMom: Well, you might as well call Mrs. Herdman that. She's rarely around, except ostensibly to walk the cat around the block on a chain.
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* SocialServicesDoesNotExist: Subverted. It does exist; the local social worker just refuses to deal with the Herdmans anymore except to drive by their house and make sure they haven't burned it down or blown it up. Lampshaded by Gladys, who demands to know where Child Welfare was when Mary and Joseph were consigned to a barn to have their baby.
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* BlatantLies: Charlie's claim that the minister gives out copious amounts of junk food to the Sunday school kids. Also, the Herdmans are quite good at these themselves.
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*It'sTheBestWhateverEver: The entire point of the book.
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* NoNameGiven: We don't actually find out until the sequel that the narrator's name is Beth.
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* MustacheVandalism: At one point, the Herdmans are shown drawing mustaches on illustrations of Jesus.
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-> ''Hey! Unto you a child is born!''
''The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'' (also published as ''The Worst Kids in the World'') is a 1971 children's book by Barbara Robinson.
The Herdmans- Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys- are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they smoke cigars, and they live in an old garage where they bang the door up and down trying to squish each other with an evil attack cat and a mother who works double shifts just to escape them. So what happens when these horrors find their way to church in search of refreshments? Why, they take over the Christmas pageant, of course! And somehow, it turns out to be [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the best Christmas pageant ever]].
There are two sequels: ''The Best School Year Ever'' and ''The Best Halloween Ever''.
!!Tropes:
* BileFascination: In-universe. Everyone goes to the pageant just to see what awful thing the Herdmans are going to do.
* CatsAreMean: The Herdmans' cat certainly is. It's been theorized that they actually caught themselves a bobcat, then made it wilder.
* DisappearedDad: Mr. Herdman jumped on a train and left town two years after Gladys was born. Noone can blame him.
* EnforcedMethodActing: "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
* FatCamp: Imogene convinces poor Albert that he'll be going to fat camp instead of Disneyland over the summer.
* FridgeLogic/ FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when the Herdmans help her to see the Christmas story in a whole new light.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: The Herdmans all smoke cigars (even the girls).
* HiddenDepths: the Herdmans
* MoralGuardians: Mrs. Wendleken, who doesn't even want cats to have kittens or birds to lay eggs.
* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: One of the kids originally offered to play the baby Jesus was four years old. His mother said he could scrunch up.
''The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'' (also published as ''The Worst Kids in the World'') is a 1971 children's book by Barbara Robinson.
The Herdmans- Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys- are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they smoke cigars, and they live in an old garage where they bang the door up and down trying to squish each other with an evil attack cat and a mother who works double shifts just to escape them. So what happens when these horrors find their way to church in search of refreshments? Why, they take over the Christmas pageant, of course! And somehow, it turns out to be [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the best Christmas pageant ever]].
There are two sequels: ''The Best School Year Ever'' and ''The Best Halloween Ever''.
!!Tropes:
* BileFascination: In-universe. Everyone goes to the pageant just to see what awful thing the Herdmans are going to do.
* CatsAreMean: The Herdmans' cat certainly is. It's been theorized that they actually caught themselves a bobcat, then made it wilder.
* DisappearedDad: Mr. Herdman jumped on a train and left town two years after Gladys was born. Noone can blame him.
* EnforcedMethodActing: "And the shepherds trembled, sore afraid- of Gladys, mainly, but it looked good anyway."
* FatCamp: Imogene convinces poor Albert that he'll be going to fat camp instead of Disneyland over the summer.
* FridgeLogic/ FridgeBrilliance: In-universe, Beth (the narrator) experiences a lot of this when the Herdmans help her to see the Christmas story in a whole new light.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: The Herdmans all smoke cigars (even the girls).
* HiddenDepths: the Herdmans
* MoralGuardians: Mrs. Wendleken, who doesn't even want cats to have kittens or birds to lay eggs.
* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: One of the kids originally offered to play the baby Jesus was four years old. His mother said he could scrunch up.
