My Nativity Scene: Gaudy but Sweet

I love Nativities. All sweet and lovely and the picture of the Christ-child when He was born. It's a nice visual for the kids, as well, to learn what it might have looked like in that time.

Except I'm sure that Mary did not look like a 30-year-old. She was probably 14 or 15. And probably not only was she pretty naive, but also scared to death. I mean, if someone had told you you were going to birth God's Only Begotten Son and don't screw Him up - wouldn't you be freaked out? I would be. I would have been scared to touch Him - I'll be honest. I'd be afraid of breaking God's Child, especially as a young teenager.

And nativity makers don't seem to have their facts straight. The Magi, or Wise Men, did not come to Jesus et al in the manger. When they went to Herod and told him of the Child, he ordered that all baby boys under the age of 2 be killed; hence why God told Joseph to take Mary and the baby to Egypt for a time. (As said in Matthew 2.) But anyway, the Magi did not go to the manger in Bethlehem. They went to where the star stopped, over the place where the Child was. So, no Wise Men (and no record of how many, just that there were three different gifts) at the manger. Some say the arrived at the Day of Epiphany, January 6th, 12 days after the birth. Others have no idea - sometime less than two years after he was born.

But anyway, I do like the nativity because it does help the children see that Christ is the real reason for Christmas. Not gifts, not trees, certainly not Santa.

Except, I don't like my nativity. Shhh, don't tell anyone. It was a gift from my in-laws and came from Sam's Club. The reason I don't like it has nothing to do with my in-laws, I promise. It's just so big. And kinda gaudy.
And very, very breakable. Just ask the kids, because minutes after my "Don't Break the Nativity or Baby Jesus Will Cry" speech, I went and broke the nativity. Not on purpose! Shame on you for thinking that. I foolishly hung a picture above the nativity and the picture dropped, breaking an ear off the donkey, the frankincense off a wise man and (HORRORS!) part of Mary's shawl. Don't cry Baby Jesus! I fixed it!

You mean you don't have Lightning McQueen lurking in the back of your nativity? Why on earth not?

I had to clear about 985 things off the credenza to make room for the nativity. And there's still tissues, coasters and apparently a birthday hat on it. And we all know a bouquet of fake poinsettias was the back drop for the nativity, right? (On a related note: SB was very upset that we did not have a an actual manger in which to set the Blessed Characters.)

So, that's my nativity. I don't love ours, but I do love nativities. Maybe someone will read this and get me a new one. Maybe smaller and not so breakable. Anyway...that's my nativity.

This post is written following MamaKat's writing prompt: Your Nativity Scene.