I really don’t know how it happened, but I’m glad it did. Somehow over the years I began collecting nativity sets. I probably have ten different nativity sets now. I love each one of them!
I remember my first nativity set. I was a young mother who wanted her children to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Money was very tight, but one day while I was at Pic-N-Save (anyone remember?) I found a small ceramic nativity set. The stable was just particle board, but the little figures were pretty. Simple, but pretty. I have used that nativity set for 28 years. The particle board stable has been replaced, but I still have the figures. Okay, the cow and donkey are missing their ears, but I’ve got them.
One of my favorite nativity sets was a huge surprise. It is my Italian style yard nativity set. My husband and kids gave it to me for my birthday about 5 years ago. My husband and I had seen it while shopping one day. It was love at first sight! Then, I saw the price. Oh, well. John said I should get it because I would be sorry if I didn’t, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on something that would only be enjoyed for just a few weeks each year. So, surprise! They gave it to me for my birthday. It is so beautiful. I keep it on our front porch under the Christmas lights and smile every time I see it.
Another one of my favorites is a small resin nativity set that I set up in my den window when I got it. I think it was from one of those school fundraiser catalogs. I was really pretty and I thought it looked so cute there. Well, so did my granddaughter. She was barely two years old, but she climbed up on the bench in front of the window and played with that nativity set for hours. Needless to say at the end of the season when I put away all the other Christmas decorations, that one stayed out. It is still there with lots of broken ears, lost heads, etc. but now all my grandkids love to play with it. I am looking to replace it with something sturdier.
With collecting comes a challenge or two. Where does one display 10 nativity sets? Well, you have to get creative. I have two mantels; each one displays a nativity set. I put the little ones in the windows. They get placed on shelves wherever I can find room and I clean out my china cabinet and put one in there with my Christmas dishes.
I don’t know if I will ever get more nativity sets, but I really love the ones I have. They remind me to stay focused on the true reason for the season – the celebration of the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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