Undecorating Christmas

Now that the tree is gone, it's time to deconstruct the rest of the little scenes around the house. One of  my sentimental favorites is the manger Dad built in the 1950's and the collection of nativity figures Mom bought for it.

I remember it being set in the fireplace surrounded with a blue wrapping paper background.  Mom had us stick metallic stars on the paper for the Three Wise Men to follow and  bring handfuls of straw from the field behind our house to thatch the roof and put on the floor of the manger. It was just perfect. (Aha! Found a picture!)

No straw and blue paper for me, but other than the addition of the silver town roofline behind the figures (a wonderful 1969 UNICEF card by paper artist Ted Naos titled "Bethlehem"), it's pretty much the way it always was.  Just perfect.

Nativity Scene