Nativity sets to make me smile.

I sure hope the Holy Family has a sense of humor, because what happens to the Nativity scenes in my house might be considered sacrilegious by some.

Here's our newest one. An advent calendar given to J by my Godfather. To say he was thrilled when he opened it would be an understatement. We must have watched that show 20 times last year. Maybe not "true" to the show (no Woodstock and Charlie and Lucy weren't Joseph and Mary) but the star in the background has Linus' whole meaning of Christmas speech.

Here's the one we bought J last year to keep him from playing with my "good" one being pulled along by a train Christmas ornament.

Except for the sheep, who got to go on a balloon ride (Mommy used to play too much Farmville).

This one J received as a present before he was born, and it sits on the bookshelf in his room year round. He has always been fascinated by it, and sometime last year he decided if the baby got to sleep, Mommy and Daddy needed to as well.

One of my most prized possessions is the Nativity set I inherited from my grandparents. At least 50 years ago my great grandfather made a variety of creches for everyone in the family, all different all beautiful. My great grandmother bought the figurines at Woolworths. How do I know? Some of my figures still have price tags on them (15 cents!). When my grandparents passed away, I got there set since everyone else already had one. It is always the first thing I put up every Christmas season, and the last thing I put away.  And two years ago my husband did this....

Gram and Gramp were HUGE Giants fans. They were probably smiling down on this as much as they were smiling on the Giants World Series victory.

We are teaching J the story of Christmas, and maybe someday he will be a little less playful with the sets.

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a
little child shall in no wise enter therein."
Luke 18:17