The gifts and the givers

Twenty-five years ago, we lived for 18 months in northern California, about an hour north of San Francisco. It was such a small snippet of life; I left not much of myself there and took little away. It's the relationships I remember most, in particular, my closest friend while we lived there, a girl named Corrie. She was funny and opinionated and beautiful, and most likely still is. I have the fondest memories of our time together.

We celebrated only one Christmas as Californians, but I still have the gift Corrie gave me that year, this lovely nativity scene:

I put it up every year and think of her. My favorite is the little sheep that lies up in the loft of the stable. Because this was a gift, it means more to me than if I'd bought it myself, and even with so many children and so many years, I have kept each piece safe all this time.

Nativity scenes make perfect gifts, don't you think? We see the wise men bearing gifts to the baby Jesus. We feel grateful for His infinite gift of hope and eternal life, and we express that gratitude in part by sharing our gifts, whether material or spiritual, one with another.

My only other nativity scene was also a gift, one that came in sections, from numerous people. Twelve years ago we had just relocated to Billings, Montana. We had left friends and family and a life we loved in Washington to start anew all by ourselves in an unfamiliar place. Our first Christmas there, my mom sent me this Willow Tree nativity, but just Mary, Joseph, the baby, an angel, and a shepherd:

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I loved it so much. I set it up so carefully year after year, and always I thought to myself, "One day I will get the other pieces to round out this beautiful set.

That "one day" came last year, when Eli's (then) fiance, Amanda, gave me these delightful animals:

Then, right after that, Luke's wife, Desiree, sent me these wise men:

And now I have this stunning nativity to grace my coffee table at Christmastime:

What beautiful gifts!
What beautiful givers!