The season is progressing and while waiting for the spirit of Christmas to “ascend on me”, I have had a little time to think. It is not a ghost of Christmas past or present that brings me Christmas, it is my faith. Not religion, but faith in why this was all started…the child that was born many years ago, sent to us to redeem the world. 
Throughout all the decorations that I’ve put up for clients, I’ve noticed that all of them have some sort of nativity scene. I am the one who sets these up. I take pleasure putting up the crèche, and sitting the family around baby Jesus. If little kids are around, they always want to put the baby in place (and for the same reason, if a figure is missing from the sets, it seems to be baby Jesus that has disappeared….I think it is the little hands that take it somewhere to do some private reflecting). Some of my clients have several sets, myself included.
Baby Jesus is always placed in the middle of the nativity, with Mary and Joseph on each side. Sometimes my clients wait until Christmas day to put the baby in the scene. At one home, we had quite a discussion about positioning the camels with the wise men coming from the east, following the star. I changed the direction of the scene, so we could be more accurate. But if you look closely, you’ll see most of the camels legs automatically turn them that way.
My daughter collects angels, (only brought out at Christmas time). I acquire nativity scenes. One Christmas, I placed the angels all around the manger scene, with one hanging from the chandelier, some standing in the holy family‘s midst, some hovering on nearby table tops. It was my version of what I think that holy night looked like. I’m certain that ALL the angels were pretty interested in what was going on that night, and couldn’t help but be near and take in the evening. I can imagine them talking amidst themselves. “Can you believe HE let his son come here as a BABY?” “Do you think they will take care of HIM?” “Do they know what they are doing with HIM?” “Does Mary have any idea what to do with this little baby? How will they have enough to take care of HIM?” I’m sure they were all pretty nervous about man’s involvement in all this….. I get a little nervous myself when I let my kids go off to their own worlds (even though it is only their university) and I feel like hovering around them. I love when they come home, walk in the house at Christmas time, look at the nativity and exclaim with awe, “Merry Christmas!”
