Hello everyone, friends of the community.
The Christmas holidays are approaching, and, as every year, my father-in-law has taken care of setting up his nativity scene. My wife told me that since her parents got married, the nativity scene has never been missing at Christmas. And what else could you expect from two people born in December, one named Maria and the other Natalino? Their Christmas spirit has always been quite lively.
So here we are witnessing the setup of a nativity scene, which is currently scaled down compared to what Natalino used to build in the past but still crafted with great care.
The current nativity scene consists of a white-painted wooden box open at the front. At the back, paper depicting a Middle Eastern landscape with palm trees and typical houses has been glued.
On one side, a humble stable topped with a shining comet welcomes the Holy Family and the inevitable ox and donkey. The cradle, strictly a manger covered with straw, is currently empty: as tradition dictates, Baby Jesus will be placed inside after midnight on December 24th.
Next to the stable, an angel holding a banner with the word "Gloria" is ready to announce the joyful news to the people.
On the opposite side of the nativity scene, my father-in-law built a staircase and divided the scene into two levels.
On the upper level, a shepherdess offers water to her calf, while another shepherd teaches his son how to tend to the flock of sheep.
Next to some handmade houses by Natalino, the three Wise Men are placed, on their journey to the stable. For now, they are positioned as far as possible from the Holy Family, but as the days pass, they will be moved closer, and on the day of Epiphany, they will arrive at their destination to present their gifts.