I finally cleared enough counter space to set out my Nativity set. It’s nothing big and fancy, and there’s really no sentimental value to it. I think I grabbed it at an after Christmas sale. Nonetheless, I love to unpack it from it’s box and set each little figurine in their designated spot around the manger. My set even came with a barn, with a place for a lightbulb to pop in the back. It’s rather pretty when all lit up. Sadly, the bulb decided not to work this year, but I’m sure my handy husband will find a way to fix it.
I remember years ago, watching my older nephew, Christian, for an afternoon during the Christmas season. I think he must have been about four. Mom was probably trying to get a bit of last minute shopping done, and I took him off her hands for a bit. We played around awhile, and he stumbled upon my Nativity (not literally). I had it sitting on a coffee table, and he instantly became intrigued by it. I was a little leery of letting him play with porcelain figurines, but decided they were sturdy enough for his little hands, and he was playing on carpet. If he dropped one, it would probably just bounce, no worse for wear. Besides, I figured it would be good for him to be allowed to play with a real live Bible story. I’m sure he started talking to each wise man and shepherd as he maneuvered each one. I smiled, saw that he was being very careful with it, and left him for a few minutes while he was occupied.
When I returned, I found that he had rearranged my Nativity. I had it set up in the usual way; Mary and Joseph on respective sides of Jesus with the angel behind, and wise men, shepherds, and sheep standing off to the side, not too close to Jesus, and facing the admirer of the Nativity.
He had rearranged each figurine to huddle around Jesus in one big circle.
He said nothing about it, and when he was done, he left and became occupied with something else. I smiled at the huddle around the manger, and stopped myself when I went to put it back. I decided this was a much more accurate depiction of the whole Nativity and decided to leave it just the way he had set it for the remainder of the season. Every year since when I set it up, I smile when I remember the cute little huddle set up.
Years later, when he was perhaps seven, he and his younger brother stumbled across another Nativity set while I was with them. I thought back to that tender moment and smiled, waiting for another angelic, child-like faith moment. He grabbed one of the figurines and declared with all his boyish energy:
“And then a giant rocket came down and…”
“Okay, let’s go play with something else,” I said, as I wrenched the poor wise man from his fingers.
Boys will be boys. I’m sure Mr. Bean would have appreciated it.