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a child, my favorite holiday tradition was imagining great things
for my miniature nativity set. While many sets are displayed on a
"look but don’t touch" basis, mine was too irresistible
to leave in a static formation. So I rearranged it regularly, creating
complex plot lines for its inhabitants along the way. The figurines
were less than two inches high, carved out of wood and painted in
cheerful colors. There was a wooden manger and a handful of trees,
and a frame structure that left a lot to be desired by a child used
to Legos.
The first order of business was to build a better venue for the Holy Family. This required integrating other small wooden communities including a zoo, a circus, a railroad station, and other generic townships we had on hand. With borrowed blocks and bricks, the lean-to shelter developed into a sprawling compound. Depending on my interests each year, the structure was modeled after an expanded castle, houseboat, log cabin, split-level tract home, or something loosely inspired by Taos Pueblo. While baby Jesus was intended to be the star on this stage, he couldn't make an entrance until December 25 (my mom assured me that an earlier arrival would be kosher, but I was pretty literal on this point–you wouldn't skip ahead to the 25th window on the advent calendar, would you?). Besides, I had big plans for the supporting players. I wanted the golden child to arrive at a household that extended beyond the basic nuclear family–preferably one with a dog... or sheep. While Mary and Joseph were fine as the upstanding parent types, I felt it was important that Jesus have the influence of some sisters–as many as I could get my hands on. My favorites were the angels and the serving wenches. Mary and Joseph took on all four of these girls as foster children on track to be adopted. I knew the process was an involved one, as my dad was in social work, and I enjoyed dragging out each step along the way for heightened drama. Also, I was partial to this plot because hadn’t it been a boon for Ma and Pa to adopt the orphaned Cassandra and James in the later years of "Little House on the Prairie?" Once assimilated, the girls were a charming lot, although the oldest (tallest) could not be separated from her hot cross buns and the two youngest were perpetually on their knees. They were teased relentlessly for always appearing in their nightgowns. Of course the second oldest with the permanent apron was in no position to talk. Mary mediated these disputes with benevolence and grace... and never the religiously inspired swearing that my mom relied upon. Joseph was outnumbered on many occasions so it was only fair that a young shepherd was brought into the fold (in this set there was only the one shepherd so that kept it simple and posed no threat to the matriarchal regime). He had two fluffy sheep that became fast favorites. He cleaned up nicely and was allowed to sleep inside until the girls began to make eyes at him; he never could say no to hot cross buns. Since the humble shepherd was the son that Joseph never had, one year Joseph did allow for his betrothal to his eldest daughter. The determining factor was that they could finally afford a dowry when Joseph was promoted in his job with the railroad. Actually, Joseph's career took many interesting turns depending on the industry of my appointed era, and Mary undertook several entrepreneurial ventures from home, including spinning and weaving the sheep's wool and tanning a mean hide. She and the girls held bake sales from time to time, but she had more ambitious schemes up her bell sleeve. One year, it was Mary's idea to buy out the local zoo and create an exotic animal exhibit, but managing the crocodile was a bit tricky and ultimately required a moat. Mary, Joseph, and their lovely daughters were renowned amongst their peers for entertaining at their palatial home. When three traveling kings from the Orient happened into town, the townspeople sent them directly there and they were welcomed with great hospitality. A wandering band of fellows, they suffered from some degree of amnesia and were without direction or focus in their lives. So they stayed on with the Holy Family, enjoying an abundance of hot cross buns. As they were a worldly and well-read group, the kings tutored the daughters in Latin and devised amusement in the form of readings and plays. The youngest developed a particular affection for the youngest (shortest) of the kings, as he too was forever kneeling. Soon a double marriage was announced for this daughter and the eldest. Herds of sheep changed hands, commemorative trees were planted to bear fruit for canning, and Joseph began building new additions onto the house. By the time the elaborate wedding celebrations had come to a close, it was time for Twelfth Night and Jesus had missed his entrance. Maybe next year… |
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Robin aspires to write the next great Jane Austen screenplay, as a musical, directed by David Lynch. |
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