I can't leave the Holiday Season without pointing out a very special part of my Christmas Celebration. When I was a teenager, I bought a plastic Nativity set with my allowance one year. The set cost me something in the neighborhood of $2 if my fading memory serves me correctly. My sister and I would have a set up in our room, during the holiday season. A private celebration all our own. I think it must have been because I so loved the Nativity set my parents had, which was the typical ceramic figures, with a removable baby Jesus. We would hide him and place him in his manger, every Christmas Eve. So anyway, this lovely plastic set that I bought had no place for the baby to lay his head. Forget about the stable, he had nothing. My youngest brother, who is 6 years younger then me, was always was good with his hands and he decided to rectify that situation, post haste. He took an old train board we had, that had been replaced by a bigger and better one and he cut the wood into a house like shape, with a pitched roof and a loft area high up in the ceiling. Being it was this old train board, it has grass and dirt colored sand type material glued to it, so if you look at the back sides of the wood, you can see this. It actually adds an interesting touch to the structure. Being the creative type child, to get to the loft, he made me a ladder. Well, we put the angel up there in the roof, because angels tend to gravitate to high places. Many a year though, I have a tendency to put a donkey up there with the angel (though I didn't this year, I have no idea why.) I also put a sheep on the ladder, just to be silly, I guess. Anyway, whatever I do, it works for me. :-)
Obviously, over the years, I have been perfectly capable of buying whatever high end Nativity I want...but this simple one speaks to me in so many ways, that I have never even contemplated changing it. It is one of a kind and it is mine, made by a boy who hasn't been a boy in more years than I want to think about. Thanks so much for your talent, brother. I will never forget your kindness.
Of course, displaying the Nativity is one of the most important parts of Christmas. As a Jew, I spent a lot of time (this time of year) looking at how Christmas is celebrated.
ReplyDeleteAmid the Rudolphs, Santas, trees, lights, stars, sleighs, bells and other symbols of the season, the one that I love best is the Nativity, where I can see an outward sign of good people, believing in G-d.
I walk a fine line in my house. Trying to be true to who and what I am, while living with someone who does not believe exactly as I do. I thank my husband so much for allowing an outward sign of what I believe, to be displayed in our home. I never take that for granted.
ReplyDelete