I Will Honour Christmas In My Heart

I will honour Christmas in my heart,
and try to keep it all the year.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.
The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.
I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!

~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Reason for the Season !!

Lynn over at Happier Than a Pig in Mud is having a Reason for the Season Party!

Here are my Three Nativity sets that I would like to share with you today!

This first one I bought at a Home interiors Party right after we were married in 1978 and I have displayed it for 32 Christmas seasons!

It's home is on top of my Dining Room Hutch. I love the colors of the figurines!

When our sons were young, we did not put out the Baby Jesus figures until after mass on Christmas Eve. Then when we would come home, the boys would each put one out in the Nativity sets because Jesus was now born to this Earth.


This Nativity Set is on top of my Living Room Entertainment Center. I won it at our Church. It was raffled off at a fund raiser and we bought one ticket for $1.00!!!
I added the bowl, jar and animal blanket accessories. I saw them one year at Walmart and I had to have them because I thought they were so unique!


This 3 piece set is inside my Living Room Hutch. I love the elegance of the cream and gold.

If you notice there is hay under each of the Baby Jesus figurines. It is hay or straw is from last year's nativity set at our church. It is blessed and it has always been tradition since I was a little girl to take some of the Manger hay as my Mom called it and place a bit in your purse and lay it under your Baby Jesus at home. Folklore is that it was good luck and would keep you safe. Has anyone else ever heard of this?????

And even though this is not a nativity set, I love the "Praying Santa". Puts the whole Holiday in perspective I think....

I bought the one on the right at a Gift Shop and the little frame to the left, I bought at yard sale for 25 cents!
Here is a close up. It is battery operated and the halo around Baby Jesus glows when lit.....


And here is a smaller slightly different version. Santa has a sack of toys on his back on this one. I love how Santa is clutching his cap ....


And my little collection of Praying Santa's started with this one. My MIL made this one in ceramics for me many years ago......


I am also linking up to :

Tabletop Tuesday

All things Merry and Brite

Deck the Halls Friday

Seasonal Sunday

Thanks for stopping by today and everyday that you take the time to visit me!!

Hugs,
Debbie

16 comments:

  1. Hi Debbie,
    Your nativities are lovely and have such wonderful memories too. I only shared one of mine but I do have a couple.

    Christmas blessings,
    Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the praying Santa!

    Blessings
    Charo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Debbie: I absolutely love all of your Nativity Scenes. Each one is different from the other and all are so very beautiful. I love how you've displayed them. I have never seen a praying Santa before ... what a unique collection. Gosh, I would love to see your house in person ... it must scream 'CHRISTMAS'! xox

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Debbie! All of your nativities are just beautiful, and how nice to win such a great set for $1! Thank you for sharing the folklore about the blessed straw, I've never heard of that before! Also, I'm lovin' the praying Santas, nice to put things back into perspective! Thanks for joining in:@)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love all your nativity sets, Debbie, and the praying Santas are wonderful I think!!! I love that your collection started with the one your MIL made for you! ((hugs)) ~tina

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your nativity sets and the praying Santas. I had not heard of the tradition to take a bit of the church nativity scene hay and use it at home for your Christ child. That is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You have a beautiful collection of Nativity sets, Debbie. I have never heard of the hay tradition but it sounds like a good idea and it's always nice to have something blessed at home...Christine

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Debbie, thank you for visiting my blog, and you nice comment, an occasion for me to visit yours and to discover praying fathers Christmas! Never seen before, very special!
    I wish you a nice day!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What lovely nativities! I love your little santa bowing before the baby Jesus :)

    CHRISTmas Blessings!
    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love your Home Interior nativity. Your praying Santas are all so sweet. I don't think I had every saw one until the pictures you have posted. Now I am off to look again at your lovely trees. My tree looks a little sick compared to yours. I put up a smaller tree and I am almost ready to take it down and drag down the large one. Almost....smile!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What delightful traditions you have with both the hay and having your boys lay out baby Jesus after mass.

    I have not seen a praying Santa before but love the sentiment and will be looking to add one to our Christmas ornaments in the future...Thank you for this delightful share.

    Blessings Kelsie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh Debbie, how embarressing that this would be the night you would drop in on my blog. I had you in mind when I was talking about all of the decorating everyone does. I am going to have to up my game next year, of course I will never come close with You!!

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a terrific post! Your nativity sets are lovely. I was sad hen Home Interiors ent out of business/ Mary Crowley really dedicated her business to the Lord. I have so many lovely items from them. My dad use to wait until CHRISTmas morning and let me lay the baby JESUS in the manger. It is a lovely memory I think about from my childhood. As for that praying Santa he really knows the true meaning of the season doesn't he? I own one and he was purchased at the gift shop of the University Hospital in Denver where I worked for many years. He tells a beautiful story here. How awesome that your MIL made that special Santa for you. Your home is filled with many wonderful memories. God Bless You and Yours during this blessed season. Anne

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Debbie,
    Your posts are ALWAYS so amazing, my friend!!! Happy White Christmas in July and thanks for linking up--this is awesome!!
    XO
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  15. All your Christmas posts are just great. I also have a little collection of Nativity sets and love getting them out each year.

    ReplyDelete

I always love to hear your thoughts!
However if you are a vendor and insist upon leaving a comment with a link back to a website, You have forced me to now moderate ALL comments so do NOT even try it!

Related Posts with Thumbnails