I’m not particular on my Jesus.  I’ll take the bearded Jesus with a white robe and scarf welcoming children on his lap, newborn baby Jesus with straw all over him…any Jesus is fine.  It’s a good thing we’re not particular around our house. Matt & I were joking last night that our nativity seems to be alive this year.  Every time we walk by a Sheppard has left to find a sheep, an animal has grazed beyond the stable or a wise man has lost his way. Figurines seem to relocated OR be replaced by a figurine from another nativity set.This is the Jesus that came with my Fontanini nativity… 

wrapped in a cloth in a manger of straw. Or this one…

plasticy Jesus.  Wrapped in a white cloth surrounded by very yellow plasticy straw.

AND from what I recall there were 3 wise men, not four…

 

I dunno, maybe one of the wise men brought along his son?!?

Our first (& most important) Christmas decoration made it’s way out before Thanksgiving.  The kids were super excited!  They love to hear where or from who we got each piece as the nativity has grown each year.  Emma, for those that don’t know, is obsessed with the nativity.  She has a snow globe nativity & glass nativity in her room.  She plays regularly with her Fisher Price nativity.  If given the choice to watch a movie there’s a good chance she’ll pick The Nativity Story.  She had come up with on her own & has believed for several years that Mary brings her presents- not Santa.  At Christmas Eve service she gazes upon Mary like many small children do Santa!  One year we got “back stage” passes to see Mary after service!

Aidan appears to have a similar fascination.

For about 2 days after setting it up I could hardly get him to leave it alone! Aidan does however seem to be ok with Santa as well.  No interest in seeing or getting hear him, but he said last night “Santa door knock knock come in bring me presents” in his cute little choppy way of talking!

Personally I think it’s quite cute.  I hope their fascination with the nativity grows as they do.  Grows into a realization of the true meaning of Christmas.  Jesus.  Not so much newborn baby Jesus, but brutally died on the cross Jesus. And not just that he came as a baby, but WHY he came.  For them.  For me.  For you.  That His birth was the beginning of the path that leads to their salvation.

I once heard that the catchy phrase “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” is actually not correct.  It actually should be “YOU are the reason for the season”. Not quite as catchy. Doesn’t rhyme- guess God’s not a rapper! :)  But the truth is that YOU are why God chose to send his son as a baby to an ordinary peasant girl.  YOU are also why He chose to watch His son die. May we all find the awe and fascination of the nativity that innocent eyes of children see. 

*I linked above to a site that carries the Fontanini nativity.  I just LOVE my nativity!   A bit expensive, so that is why mine has grown each year as it is a big amount to buy it allll at once. It’s super nice quality and best of all PLASTIC but totally doesn’t look plastic!  I’m pretty sure if it wasn’t plastic we’d be a few sheep short and down a wise man by now! Check in to it…

Merry Christmas!