Twelve Days of Christmas Day Eight: The Nativity

It was a special task at Christmastime to set up the nativity at my Nana's house. The youngest uncle (second generation) and the youngest grandchild (third generation) would work together to place the little Mary, wise men, cows, and lambs just so. That is until I was born and refused to pass my place on to the next youngest grandchild. The only way they were getting Baby Jesus from me was to pry him from my cold kindergarten clutches as I ran in circles through the living room, dining room, and kitchen gleefully refusing. I held my position steady through high school.

Nana's nativity is just beautiful. It's one of those delicately detailed 1950s numbers with real hay and a wooden manger. Everyone is peacefully staring off into space, contemplating the wonder of the season. And occasionally Strawberry Shortcake would make an appearance before Nana would shoo me away with the gentle warning, "Don't play with the manger!"

Back in Rhode Island I had my own nativity, which I left at Mom's planning to ship it west, and naturally immediately lost it. It's somewhere in her house, safe and sound, and that's all we know.

Last year I was feeling blue without it until Ryan and I brainstormed a solution.

Like most grown ups (right) we have an abundance of little toys, tiny figurines, wind up robots, and action figures around our apartment. We gathered them up and created our own nativity. This year we recreated the holy scene once more with the help of some new additions.

Our nativity this year!

First I put together a simple scene with cardboard and pretty paper.

I placed them on a mirror for a "frosty" look.

Ryan surprised me with this charming couple in November.
He found them at a vintage shop in downtown Seattle.

They were happy to play Mary and Joseph.

Domo played the part of Baby Jesus for a second year.

The three wise men, bearing Pez, raisins, and Angel's Mercy.

The robots are playing the shepherds, here they are with
the animals and monsters in the fields.

This is the scene we wake up to each morning.

Wonder Woman bravely playing the angel.

Over the bureau hills, and onto the manger.

Our nativity last year!

Our fairy and Gonzo played Mary and Joseph last year.

Cammy played the angel.

Does anyone else get the impression Domo
really enjoys being Baby Jesus?

The crayons were the shepherd staffs, I believe.

He really puts the 'Merry' in the scene.

A mirror was used last year too.

Tiny Robot and his friends paying their respects to my nativity in 2009.

As Amy's friend Solace said once when she added a skiing hippopotamus to a nativity:
"I think everyone should be allowed to visit Jesus, don't you?"

My lost nativity, Christmas 2008.

It's like our assorted knick knacks come together at Christmastime to put on their own little pageant. Salt shakers, wind up monkeys, House of Mouse mice, gumball machine prizes, and plastic Smurfs all come skipping off their shelves and out of their drawers to celebrate the harmony and peace of the season.

Is anyone else entertaining a nativity scene this year?