Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas: A Place for Child's Play

"Jonathan, get a baby wipe to cover Baby Jesus. He looks so cold!" Emahry's little voice drifts in from the living room to where I stand washing dishes.

Little feet race down the hall to retrieve a flannel wipe. "I hope he gets a clean one," I think to myself.

The feet fly even faster back into the living room. "Thank you," says Emahry, "now we can wrap him nice and warm like Daddy and Mama do with us."

They continue to play with the nativity scene that is purposefully placed at their eye level on an empty corner TV stand. Interacting with Mary, Baby Jesus, the manger and three sheep--our growing collection of Fontanini figurines.

I'm taken back to my own childhood. To another nativity scene.  Large Fontanini figures, not high up on an unreachable shelf, but placed on an end table where we were allowed to touch and take for our own imaginative play.

I'm so thankful that my parents have helped us carry on that tradition by purchasing a new piece for our nativity each Christmas. Fontanini nativity pieces are made of a specially formulated polymer that captures fine detail but will not chip or break. 

It's such a wonderful thing to have our children be able to reinact the Christmas story with these beautifully durable figures. Although, as Emahry says, "We really need a Joseph." hint...hint

One of my favorite parts...Baby Jesus is not connected to the manger. Growing up, Baby Jesus never occupied the manger in the days leading to Christmas. Early on I can remember waking to Jesus' miraculous appearance in the manger. As we grew older the tradition evolved to all of us children, filled with anticipation and excitement searching the house to find Baby Jesus and place him in his hayfilled manger.

To find Jesus. Isn't that still the purpose of celebrating Christmas? Praying you'll find him this Christmas season.

How can you help your children personally interact with the Christmas story this year?

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