Nativity

I suppose my love for Nativity scenes began with this:

That's the Parthenon in Nashville, and the Nativity which was featured there every year during the holidays.  As you can see, the scene stretched almost the length of the building.  There were loudspeakers playing hymns, and a stentorian voice reading Scripture.  My parents and I went every year, and my memories of the cold and the music and the "statues" is strong and clear.  Considering that the Nativity's last year was 1967 (I was 7), you can see what an impression it made on me.

I also have a memory of "building" a Nativity scene of my own using my Barbies.  How it came together exactly is fuzzy.  I wish my recall were sharper, because I never had a Ken, and I wonder who was Joseph.  At any rate, I remember shining a flashlight on it, thinking that added drama.

On building a Nativity, here is my Advent one as of today:

The angel was today's addition.  When I was thinking the other day about who/what was left, I hadn't counted on two shepherds.  And the camel on the right, with the green saddle blanket, falls down a lot.  His/her footing is not as sure as one might want.