DeLaynie and the Nativity

The church was decorated for Christmas today. DeLaynie, like any two year-old, got very excited at the sight of all of the shiny, bright things that covered the sanctuary. She was especially drawn to the nativity scene. She kept wanting to play mommy to Jesus. She would say, "Look at the baby; such a sweet baby." I tried explaining that Jesus is a special baby. We didn't get too far on that concept, but she did try to say Jesus a few times.

After seeing how enamored by the nativity she was, I decided to pull ours out for the first time. I received it as a gift last year. It's very pretty, but it's high-shelf, no-touchy pretty. It isn't the one that I want to use for explaining the Christmas story to DeLaynie and Ella because I want them to feel free to interact with the figures.

So I started looking for a nativity scene that was kid-friendly and attractive for decorative purposes. Not an easy task when you don't want to spend a crazy amount. There are some that are toys, and aren't intended for any kind of display. There are others that make Mary look like a four year-old. Not a good message. Then there are the crazy expensive ones. And I have yet to find one that has a non-white holy family. One of the wise men may (or may not) be dark complected, but Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are always as white as Wonder Bread. And um... Jesus wasn't white. I wouldn't mind one that was a little more abstract, like an unpainted set, where the race isn't addressed.

I will be continuing my search for a decent nativity this week, during the breaks from packing. We'll see how that goes.