Christmas reprise: And a little child shall lead them

One of my favorite Christmas stories...

Did anyone notice anything unusual about the photo of the Fontanini Nativity in the entry I made on Tuesday? No? Look again:

See the #1 candle in the back of the stable? That's been a permanent fixture in this Nativity scene for the past five or six years. The story of how it got there is one of my favorite Christmas stories:

I had put out all the Christmas decorations and had them arranged just as I liked them. One day I walked past the Fontanini Nativity and saw the candle I'd used on the kids' first birthday cakes standing against the wall in the stable.

I took the candle out and put it in the junk drawer. A day or so later, it was back in the stable. Again, I put it in the junk drawer. The next day, I saw Annie putting it in the stable again.

"Annie! Stop messing with my Nativity," I said. "Get that candle out of there."

Setting her up to see how clever she was, I went on...

"That candle does not belong in the Nativity," I goaded, waiting for her to refute me with the reminder that Christmas is indeed the birthday of Jesus.

"Yes it does," she said as she took the bait.

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"I put that candle in the stable because Jesus is number one!"

And so every year, that polka-dotted candle takes its place in the stable behind the Baby Jesus to help us remember that whether the gifts are bought, the cookies are baked, the cards are sent, what really matters is that Jesus is, indeed, #1.

Originally posted on December 24, 2008.

Christmas reprise: O come let us adore Him

Another post from back when the only people who read my blog were my mother and amphibian lovers who accidentally found it via a Google search.

One of my favorite parts of decorating for Christmas is unpacking and displaying my Nativity collection. It started when we got married and someone gave us the Fontanini collection Holy Family. Since then, we've added a new piece every year or two to that set.

And I've added other Nativities to the collection. I love having Nativity sets around as a reminder of the reason for the season. And because the collection gets packed away in January every year, I don't have to continually dust it, which is definitely a bonus.

Since this is my blog and I can do what I want to, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorites from the collection...

There's the Peruvian Nativity:

the George Carruth stone-carved Nativity from my friend Claire:

the fireplace Nativity screen I bought as a gift to myself for my 35th birthday:

the "Rita" Nativity, a collection handbuilt by artist Rita Jackson and given to me by Mike's grandmother:

though several of the pieces are broken and are waiting for me to fix them with Mighty Putty.

And of course the Fisher Price Nativity. Though in our version, Joseph has gone to the local watering hole with a shepherd and a couple of wise men, leaving Mary to look after the Savior of the World and a bunch of animals by herself:

There are more, but I didn't have the energy to unpack them all this year. I'll be scouring the after Christmas sales for my next favorite and maybe next year I'll put them all out.

What is your favorite part of Christmas decorating?

Originally posted December 23, 2008.

Christmas reprise: 'Twas the night before Christmas and I'm all out of breath

In these final days before Christmas, I thought I'd re-post a few of my past Christmas season posts for you to enjoy.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house 

the Mommy was blogging with the click of the mouse. 

The stockings were filled, busting the seams 

the tree bore the fruits of holiday dreams. 

The Daddy was futzing with a last minute gift 

and poor Mommy's eyelids needed a lift. 

Mommy in her jammies about to log off for the night, 

when a noise upstairs caused her feet to take flight. 

The stumble of footsteps above was the sound 

and Mommy ran straight up the stairs in a bound. 

The wee one who sleeps like his Mom -- or does not, 

was standing there peering down at the lot. 

Mommy raced up the stairs, body blocking the view 

before the young boy could see one stocking shoe. 

"Oh honey, c'mon we must be in bed, 

or Santa won't find us," to the bedroom she led.

 

Together they fell into bed very quick, 

Mommy breathing so heavily she thought she'd be sick. 

Huffing and puffing she thought to herself, 

"I should have left those cookies alone on the shelf." 

"And the ice cream and candy, the burgers and fries. 

It's just that it looks so good in my eyes." 

The young little lad fell quickly to sleep,
while Mommy gained breath -- just enough for a peep.
"Dear Santa, one favor -- just one wish more
I'd like to lose some pounds, maybe one hundred and four."

And so in the morning when Mommy arises 

she'll run to the mirror to see her transformed thighs-es. 

And if the reflection shows a figure robust, 

well dear old Santa, he won't be cussed. 

Because Mommy knows that Santa may not grant a wish so airy. 

So next year she'll ask the Hanukkah Fairy.

Originally posted December 25, 2008.