Admiring the baby during a rest break
The LDS stake (several small congregations) in our neighborhood hosts a live nativity evey year. For one night. Not 6 days a week for a month. The folks in Fairview have committed themselves to an endearingly audacious plan, and I went out to see it last week.
The three kings traveled down Main Street to reach the manger
First, we waited for someone to bring the outfits back from being home laundered. The baby was bundled up, her mom dressed up as Mary, the staffs issued to the shepherds, gifts to the wisemen. No camels, but someone got a fire going. The cast came tumbling out of the restaurant.
Smiles of an angel
It was below freezing, but not as cold as the week before. I was the audience for the first half hour. Joseph read the Christmas story and everyone acted out their parts. Then they sang all the carols, all the verses. The Victorian-costumed carolers came out of the restaurant for a while to sing with the shepherds. One of the wisemen had an angelic voice. A few people stopped, made a u-turn on the highway. Got their cell phone camera shots, heard a carol chorus, and went inside for a hot chocolate. The baby smiled and didn't fuss at all. The sweetest part of all was that they sang just for themselves. All the carols, all the verses.
Away in the manger, in the cold and dark of the night.
