Outdoor Nativity Scenes

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Matt_Tiza

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I hope that everybody is almost ready for a very Merry Christmas!

One thing that I’ve noticed is that, despite the perception of a strong Christian culture in America, a lot of people still seem to internalize these beliefs instead of celebrating them outwardly. This is particularly true around Christmas when we should all be joyful in Christ.

As I run through my neighborhood, I’ve noticed that many of my neighbors put up wonderfully colorful and elaborate Christmas displays, yet I’ve only noticed one Nativity scene or anything else obviously related to Christ’s birth. I wonder why this is as so many proclaim a love for Christ and for Christian morals, yet our holiday decorations do not convey this message? We have so many Catholics in our neighborhood with statues of Mary in prominent positions on their property, yet the same neighbors do not decorate with Nativity scenes for Christmas.

I can understand government buildings and businesses trying to remain inclusive and politically-correct, but we are all free to decorate our own homes as we wish. You get a lot of Christian pundits who say “CHRISTmas” and try to “put Christ back into Christmas,” but doesn’t this all start at home? Why might some be reluctant to put up a Nativity scene? It’s so much easier than climbing the rooftops to string up lights. 🙂

A 2011th birthday party is a big deal IMHO. 🙂
 
around here, and where I used to live, it may just mean people are tired of putting out decorations just so the can be stolen or vandalized.
 
I would put one up in a heartbeat…however they are way too expensive. I even looked at just putting the Bethlehem Star up - cannot afford that either. So I have a Christmas banner on my front door - it was on sale.
 
I wouldn’t necessarily read into it that much. Growing up, my mom would go to great lengths decorating the inside of the house. (Even our light switch covers got switched out with Christmas ones!) But the only outside decoration was a simple wreath on the front door.
 
I really like Nativity scenes…but I find that those meant for outdoors are either way out of my price range or they are not, to say it charitably, very tasteful.
 
I dunno, I live next to my Catholic Church. I kind of like having everyone in town share the same Creche!
 
All I see at the moment are white trees and blue lights.

Must be a fashion thing as they are everywhere.

A lot of people have nothing.
 
I have the basic five piece plastic lighted nativity. This year I built a folding stable and loaded it with hay. I really toned down the plastic look.
 
pnewton said:
I have the basic five piece plastic lighted nativity. This year I built a folding stable and loaded it with hay. I really toned down the plastic look.
Click to expand...
My in-laws did the same thing. The wooden stable does mute the plasticity. 🙂
 
I’m going to update my outdoor Nativity scene as I want a simple, yet tasteful design as well.

One scene that I noticed that was really cool was a 4’ tall wood cutout of the word “JOY” with a silhouette of the Nativity inside of the letter, “O.” At night there is a light shining in front of the letters producing a much larger shadow of the word, “JOY,” and of the Nativity scene on the home’s facade. I thought that this was a really cool and original way to showcase the Nativity.

The thought did cross my mind that I might be reading into the meaning behind the absent Nativity scenes a little too much. However, I do suspect that a lot of Catholics are really supressing their religious views in public to be poltically-correct, and because it feels “awkward” around their friends & neighbors. I’m not suggesting that anyone should shout out their religious opinion on the street corner, but an outdoor Nativity display is a silent reminder of how important our Faith is to us during this Holy season.

It is important that we all acknowledge the Nativity, and to remember that the gift-giving and the celebration all came from the Magi who first celebrated Christ’s birth. Otherwise we run the risk, as I’m already seeing with my own son, that Christmas becomes a purely materialistic celebration devoid of the pure joy that comes from Christ the Savior coming into the world. God bless, friends.
 
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