Growing up, my favourite Christmas display in our home was a small village that consisted of a half dozen buildings, pine trees, a little gingerbread house, a church, and the figurine residents who resided there, all plopped onto a bed of fluffy white fabric that served as fresh-fallen snow. At the centre of the festive display, a little nativity set finished the village off in style, and it was my job to set it all up for the rest of my family to also enjoy. I spent a lot of time perched in front of that Christmas village and an equal amount of time moving things around to get it all just right.

I enjoyed viewing our Christmas village from eye level—imagining how fun it would be to shrink myself down and walk around the winter town as one of its tiny ceramic characters. I still enjoy Christmas villages to this day, and whenever I see one, I drop to my knees and explore the town from the same vantage point as all the little people who call it home. Each year at Christmas, good friends put up a lovely and very detailed Christmas village, and when I see it, my facial expression returns to my childhood as I stoop to explore the scene until my wife pulls me away like a kid in a candy store.

I often wonder what it would have been like to be in the little town of Bethlehem on the night baby Jesus was born. I picture myself standing close by when the Messiah was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Imagine witnessing the three wise men from the east showing up to worship Jesus and presenting him with lavish gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Even now in my sixties, seeing a nativity scene of any size or complexity stirs my imagination to how incredible it would have been to behold such a spectacle as the Saviour of mankind’s birth. Here’s the scene.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his
favor rests.’” (Luke 2:4-14 NIV)

The next time you see a Christmas village display, and especially if it is graced by a nativity scene, stop long enough to place yourself into that environment and picture yourself alongside the baby Jesus. I think I’d be asking Mary and Joseph if I could please hold their newborn son and then rejoice in the salvation that only He can provide by grace through faith.

Care to join me at the manger this Christmas?

Paul Smyth