A Crush of Creches.

Lucy's post about the nativity fair they visited in Seville reminded me of how much I love nativities. Granted I don't go for the whole city theme the way they do in Spain (and I don't have a little pooper in mine--yet) but even people that don't practice a faith are drawn to them. Except my neighbor, who is apparently a seriously lapsed Catholic with residual something, because he told his wife NO WAY was he going to have a nativity in the house so now I want to buy one and put it up outside his door. Baby Jesus can hold a sign that says "Please let me in for Christmas." Maybe that goes over better in the idea than in the execution, though. He's Cam's bio. teacher--wouldn't want to mess with the grade on finals week!

Anyway. Nativities. My mother has a very sweet old one (that I hope I get someday, not that I'm vulturizing her stuff before she's gone or anything, but I just want everyone--Greg and Sharon--to know how I feel) where the baby Jesus could be taken out of the manger. We used to replace him with a jelly bean or a Weeble and make my mother so mad. I bought this one once upon a time at Fred Meyer--$9.99--because it kind of reminded me of her figures. Doesn't that wise man on the left look a little bemused? When Cameron was little he rolled them all off the stable roof and I guess I didn't glue all their heads back on straight. We don't have the stable here with us so I think they always look a little lost and lonely somehow.

When I look at this, the miracle of Christmas is that this Mary gave birth to that Jesus. Look at the size of Him. That head!

I love this tiny Nativity that I got years ago at the Bibelot Shop in St. Paul. For several years I kept it out year round as a reminder of Christmas because it’s so tiny…Mary and Joseph are less than an inch tall. Even though it's so small, it's one of the first things I notice whenever I come into the room. I love the star on the stable, too--it reminds me more of a sun, actually, so I suppose there's some metaphor for it looking like both a star and a sun, but I don't know. I just love this little family.

Last year when we were in Thailand we went to a famous celadon shop where I wanted to buy a dessert set--small bowls, plates, and a tea/coffee set. Not that I get fancy on that kind of stuff, but they are so beautiful and I just knew that my wretched--I mean lovely--kids would be breaking them in a second so I didn't dare buy a whole set of dishes because they're sort of expensive, so I thought a dessert set would be just the thing. After choosing a design and scouring the store to come up with 8 of everything, I ended up short a cup and a plate. That was when the salesgirl, who had oh-so-helpfully trailed me all over the store, told me that oh, sorry, yes, they don't have all of that particular pattern. LIKE SHE COULD NOT HAVE SAID THAT while I was spending an hour looking for everything. And of course, they are the biggest celadon retailer in that region, so no ma'am, sorry, no way to get any more. Maybe I could come back next week. Did I mention how much fun the rest of my family was not having at this point?

So while I was fuming, I spied this gem…and forgot all about dessert. They are so lovely. The firing process for celadon leaves a fine cracked pattern. No faces or detailing—just a peaceful shade of green and a calmness that I feel when I look at them. I almost didn’t take them out because the cat loves to deliberately bat things off shelves, but they are sitting where he doesn’t go and I think they’re heavy enough that he might give up before he did any damage. I have the rest of the figures, but this is so sweet.

This adorable trio is from Tanzania. They were made by a group of women in Moshi who had lost their husbands and were working to earn money to support their families. I bought it the first time I visited in 2002, when I had no idea how devastating losing a husband could be in that country. Their shop was behind the cemetery which I found so sad. I love this little family, too.


This was my birthday present this year and I couldn’t be happier. I adore this Nativity beyond words. It’s carved from camphor wood so the scent is heavenly. And it’s oh-so-Chinese—the trees, the faces, the eyes. A shop near us has (he says, and I guess he could be right) the only Christian woodcarver in China. I loved these last year at our spring fair and fell in love again when they opened a shop up the street.

I love the detailing—look at his face! I don’t know who he is, though…I have 3 wise men, all bearing gifts and wearing crowns. I have 2 angels, so I guess there’s an extra one for the big announcements. I have 2 shepherds--they have the same hats, although one brought a gift, which was something new. And then I have this guy…he definitely does not look like a shepherd. But he’s definitely not a wise man. So…I guess we’ll have to work out a special job for him. Maybe he's the inn-keeper? This shop also sells the greatest Noah’s ark sets where the ark is a dragon boat. My favorite one is a large dragon boat and the pairs of animals are from the Chinese zodiac. That one is definitely coming home with me, too. Some day.

Sadly, for some reason I never purchased a nativity when we lived in Tanzania. They had some very nice ones and I regret not having one now, because I can’t understand why I didn’t get one! However, having seen my beautiful Chinese set, I’m thinking of asking him to carve one. I have so many pictures and an idea of Masaai warriors standing one leg holding their spears for the shepherds, a gentle-eyed cow with huge horns and the hump on his back, a traditional boma for the stable, maybe with a kraal around it, an acacia tree providing shade, the wise men carrying calabashes, perhaps a lion that would lie down with the lamb…It sounds strange, but I think I could have one made with more African flavor than the ones I saw in Tanzania. I also have 2 adorable rustic Santas that would be fantastic rendered with Chinese faces. Hmmm....

I’m hoping the Chinese nativities (they have smaller ones) will be available in the spring when it’s closer to thinking about heading home for the summer. I would gladly take orders—or trade for a Spanish one (hint hint)! Until then….



…or as my kids often say….


I know. This is payback for the “jellybean in the manger” trick.