Unto you, a Saviour . . .

When I was a teenager, my dad built a nativity scene for our front yard and also had an idea for a sign to go with it quoting Luke 2:11, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  I remember my brother sketched out the sign and we both painted it in.  It looked pretty nice.  When I was grown, married and owned our first home, we decided to do the same as a declaration to the neighborhood of the wonderful meaning of Christmas to us.

I've been setting up this nativity scene every year for about 30 years now.  I made it out of four sheets of plywood and designed it to hold together with hook and eye latches.  Originally, the inside was painted a plain color, and Mary and Joseph were inverted tomato cages covered with sheets with sheet heads filled with newspaper and grotesque faces amateurishly painted on.  After the first ten years or so, I decided to get a bit more artsy.  I created a scene of animals inside the shed and made painted cutouts of Mary & Joe that don't have to be assembled each year.  When I say "created", I mean it, as my children could not identify my species of animals.  I told them those animals existed back then but don't anymore.  They were already too old to believe that. 

Every year I tell myself I'll add something new for the following year; but it never happens.  Maybe that's how traditions are supposed to be -- you just don't want to change them.  Mostly, I think it's just being lazy.  Also, I'm not such a great artist anyway.  I had dreams of making angels, wise men, camels, etc., but maybe simple is best, especially as that plywood seems to get heavier each year.

Over the years we've met people who had seen our display for many Christmas seasons but didn't know who lived in this house.  When we moved, people from the old neighborhood said they missed it.  When I first made it, our oldest daughters were 2 and they stood inside the shed with the holy family, as they were the same size.  I guess it was like playing with life-size dolls.  Now our children are all grown and have their own homes, but they're all coming home for Christmas this year to fill our house again with our beautiful family!   I wonder if they'll pay any attention to my nativity display, laugh at my animals, remember playing with the tomato cage people.  Mostly I hope they, and the neighbors, remember the message of love the angels proclaimed that night long ago -- that God had come to earth to save His people from their sins.  The sign is the best part of my little display, for its message is clear with or without the rest, and for that I give credit to my dad.  

Thanks for reading my thoughts, and have a wonderful and  
Merry Christmas this year.