"Simplify your Christmas by embracing the spiritual side of the season.
The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with – the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters." (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
This is my favorite activity that we do all month. The Live Nativity. It's what Christmas is all about -- The birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ! I can't believe how much work, time and sacrifice is put into this event. It is amazing!
There is always a really long line and wait (1-2 hours) in frigid weather (25 degrees last night) but it is so worth it!
All bundled up
The prophet Isaiah
The Wise Men
Camels
Camels and wise men (in a blurry no-flash pic)
Baby calves (Mia and Morgan's favorite)
We loved having Kay Lin join our family for this activity. She even saved us a place in line and cut our wait time down in half. This is way home teaching should always be done!!!
Getting taxed as we walked into the town
I couldn't take pictures inside because of my flash but it is amazing. Chickens everywhere. Joseph's donkey. People in the village--carving wood, making pottery, weaving, selling fruit, filling pitchers with water, begging, etc. And the inn keeper was standing in a doorway telling everyone that we couldn't stay at his inn. There was no room at the inn. As we turned the corner we saw this--It's kind of hard to see but that is a tiny little newborn baby with Mary and Joseph by his side. It was amazing!! Even Morgan stopped saying, "all done!" (the hammering and chiseling on the wood at the very beginning scared her) and went to get a closer look at the baby Jesus. I wish we could do this every night! Not stand in the cold. Just witness the sweet spirit of Christmas.We warmed up and finished up the night with dinner at TT.
P.S. We missed having Jack with us. He complained about the activity and that he didn't want to go stand in the cold. It wasn't good timing for me. I was already stressed trying to get 6 kids bundled up in snow clothes by myself and to the event on time. So he got his wish and was left at home. He had a change of heart when we got home. I'm not ready for this teenager stuff quite yet.
4 comments:
I think you may have stayed home with Jack since I have no real proof you took those photos. This looks really cool. I'd never heard of it, where do they have it? Looks like activity #3 was a grand success.
I've never heard of it either! You were brave to go out in this cold... but it looks amazing!
It's put on by a stake in Draper. Mandy (the SL Chap Pres) father-in-law is the one who started it. It is so worth braving the cold weather. They just need to do it longer than 3 nights and then there wouldn't be such a rush and crowd.
I think I would have stayed home with Jack! Waiting in the cold for 1-2 hours? You are amazing Heather- all the fun things you do and you take the whole family with you. We pass on a lot of activities because it's just too hard to get everyone there and keep track of them all when we do. You go girl!
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