My Nativity Scene(s)

Here is a quick peek at BOTH of my Nativity scenes.  The first was a wedding gift from a dear family friend.  She made it herself in a ceramics studio.  It has quite a lot of pieces.  There are more animals in it than you see in most scenes, which I suppose is fitting; they were in a stable after all.  There are two camels, four sheep (if you count the one across the shepherd boy's shoulders, a cow, and of course, Mary's donkey.  I especially love the angel that hangs above the entire scene.  It is a good reminder to me that there are always angels among us.  I must confess that I get very agitated every year when my children understandably want to help me put it out.  I am terrified that one of the pieces will be broken.  I know, I know; the pieces could be repaired, but the thought of the clunk and shatter as one of the pieces is broken is almost too much for me to bear.  Here is a look at the one I've had the longest and was a gift from Marian.

My second Nativity scene was a gift from my grandpa shortly before he passed away.  Again, he made it himself in a ceramics studio.  It is much smaller, both in the number of pieces and its physical size.  I love how it appears to be made of pewter.  Even though this scene is equally as precious to me, it is the one that I always put down low for the kids to look at and touch.  The main reason for this is that I can hear Grandpa Bob saying, "Jenny, let them play with it, there isn't anything there that can't be fixed."  Here is a peek at it.

So there you have it; my Nativity scenes.  Both of them equally beautiful and handmade by people I hold dear.  Merry Christmas everyone!

This post was inspired by Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop.  Go ahead and link up too!