Nativity Sets- How Many are too Many?

It’s that time of year. Christmas.

Even if you didn’t look at a calendar, you’d know. The signs are there. Malls are crowded with shoppers, houses are adorned with lights and festive blowup figures, radio stations are playing 24/7 Christmas music. But the main reason I know it’s Christmas is because of the Nativity sets in my house. I am surrounded! Everywhere I look, there they are, staring at me; unmoving, unfeeling eyes. Nativity sets. I’m not talking about the outdoor displays, in front of churches. I’m talking about the porcelain, wood, genuine one hundred per cent plastic, and plaster ones; made in China, Mexico, and who knows where else, that have sprung up around my house.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my wife, but she has a thing for Nativity sets. As a matter of fact, all those “public property” Nativities, that scrooge-type people are demanding be removed, can take refuge in my house if they’d like.

I’d like to run a contest, offering a prize for the person who can count up all the representations of the Holy family found around my fair abode. Come on. Stop by. Take a shot at it. Win a prize if you come the closest! I’ll give you a hint. Your guess had better be over twenty…over thirty…

Do you know what? We’ve gone beyond traditional sets, too. We have our Peanuts set, with good old Charlie Brown and company. We have our snowman set, our bear set (Wait, we have two or three bear sets), our mouse set. I’ve a confession to make. I’m a bit afraid of the wise men mice, riding on top of camels. Can you imagine a mouse that big? Frightening.

She has another set where all the figurines are faceless. I’m tempted to sneak down in the middle of the night, and draw in the eyes, noses and mouths on them. But somehow drawing a face on the baby Jesus seems a tad blasphemous

The question I want to pose to you is- When is too much too much? When do you know you have too many Nativity sets?

I think I’ve discovered the answer. The other night, I had a dream. Maybe it was a nightmare. As I stirred on my pillow, my eyes opened just a crack. The figurines of the three wise men from the bear set were standing there, poking me with their gifts. “Hey fella! Do you know where Jesus is? We’ve come to worship Him.”

I pushed myself up on one elbow and wiped the sleep from my eyes. Much to my surprise, running around my dresser were the Peanut Characters. They’d pulled apart the snowman Nativity set and were having a jolly good snowball fight.

I thought to myself, maybe, we have enough Nativity sets.

But, do you know what? I guess there are worse things someone could collect. I should be happy that everywhere I look in my home, there is a constant reminder of what Christmas is truly about.

Luke 2:10-12   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.”