Keeping Christ in Christmas

The only blind person at Christmas time

is he who has not Christmas in his heart.

Helen Keller



What better way to keep Christ in Christmas than collecting Nativity sets.  Ever since I was a child there was special feeling when Christmas rolled around and I helped set up a small manger with Mary, Joseph, an angel, a few sheep, a donkey, a cow, a shepherd, three wise men, and three camels.  Through the years, the camel's leg broke but I still prop it up to complete the picture! An angel would be placed above the figures, overlooking the peaceful scene. As I grew older, I began to purchase Nativity sets that appealed to me and before long I had accumulated over fifty sets made from cardboard, pewter, ceramic, resin, wood, acrylic, or porcelain. I thought I had a large collection until I read about a woman who had 1300 Nativity scenes. I saw a video about her collection and when she passed away in January of 2012, her husband decided to display the collection in her memory.

A friend and I visited Deacon Gordon Hudec on December 10, 2012, and were greeted by two flat displays of Nativities on his lawn.  On entering the home he showed us works by Hummel, Llardo, and other artists on different bookcases and walls.  A large tree with many lights was decorated with ornaments depicting the birth of Christ. A large tablecloth covered the table and it had a beautiful lace Nativity scene.

As we entered the downstairs display room my eyes must have grown in size because there were shelves, walls and tables filled with Nativity sets.


Mexican Dough Nativity

and Peruvian Clay Figures

 

 

This is only half of the room!

Every Nativity was different.  He told us stories about some of them.  Told us how many were purchased on their travels.  How his granddaughter, an artist, had added to the collection. Many were purchased on e-bay. Some were gifts. Many materials were used to construct the sets. Some were pricey while others were not.  I liked a leaf from Mexico and  he explained how the artist peels the top layer of the leaf to make the picture.

  

One set was made from St. Helena's ash, another from strips of pop cans, one from salt mines, and a tiny one we had to look through a magnifying glass was made from grains of rice. We wandered slowly enjoying each display and he pointed out that finding a Nativity with St. Joseph holding the baby is rare and they had four of them. While we looked, Angel, a white cat followed us around.  It surprised me how well behaved the cat was, leaving the displays alone and not bothering them. I could tell the cat wanted attention and knew how to get it!

Angel places herself in a display case!

In the animal section, Deacon told us that his wife felt uncomfortable placing animal Nativity scenes until someone told her that "everything in creation comes from God." The animal displays were of dogs, cats, and bears. I liked the penguins.

Gourd hangs on wall.

Crochet Ball



Left: Corn Husks
Right: Pewter

African display made from
strips of pop cans.



             








Tapestries, t-shirts, puzzles, ties, books, aprons, and anything one could think of had a picture of when Christ was born. Such a variety of Nativity scenes and no two were alike! Even my collections of Nativities are different.   Every year I make up my mind to stop buying Nativity sets but then I see one so different that I just have to have it.  This year I purchased an acrylic one that looks like an ice carving.

My latest purchase!