December 23rd, 2009.

 For those who are not familiar with the Christian celebration of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ— we celebrate Christmas on December the 25th. Each year at our church, we retrace the steps of Mary and Joseph and other major players in the historic event.

I have  set up my creche on our coffee table, about the only space where it can be central.  Only some of the characters are shown since  Jesus has not yet been born.

Joseph and Mary are not yet in Bethlehem, but they are travelling in for the census. The stable, or shelter for animals, may be already occupied by donkeys or cattle or even doves who come to roost there. We don’t really know what animals are there as the Bible only mentions shepherds with their sheep on the hillside.  The star will not be out yet, but mine is affixed to the stable so I cannot take it off.

The shepherd is off to one side with his two little sheep [ since that’s all that came with this set]. There will be more than one shepherd, and they will be out  in the hills tending their flocks of sheep, away from the place where the baby will be born.

The story continues when Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem and look for a place to stay.