Manger Scenes In My Life

This is my small manger that I have had for years. My first husband made the stable and a neighbor cut out the figures and I painted them. Very simple, but precious to me. This is the manger that I got a few years ago. I bought it with a gift card from our Priest. I think it's beautiful. The figures are made in Italy. It cost much more, but I love the little one as much.

When my kids were little...we would drive to Elgin and visit the Mental Hospital, where they had a live manger. We would pack up the kids and drive quite a distance, bringing snacks and their favorite blankets in the car to keep them happy. Sometimes they would fall asleep before we got there. It would be after dark and we would drive into the hospital grounds making our way to the manger. There were the animals and a manger with baby Jesus. It would be cold and we could see the breath of the donkey and cow. I can still see it in my mind. It was a simple thing to do and didn't cost a penny. We didn't have much money in those years, so we tried to find reasonable things to do for our small family.

Make a Manger for your children this year.
Assemble a nativity scene at the beginning of December. (You'll want to use one your children can hold and touch. Save the breakable one for the mantel.) Leave the manger empty and have a small container of straw nearby (you can get straw at a local farm or garden store).
For each act of kindness you notice among your children, add a piece of straw to the manger. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, when baby Jesus is laid in the manger, your children will appreciate that their kind deeds helped to prepare his bed.

Balisha