Dillon Community Church

As a young child Christmas was always an exciting time in our home. The excitement all began with the first Sunday of Advent. First, we went out to get a wreath for the front door and then we pulled the crèche out of the attic. I always got to help set it up. We unwrapped all the characters very gently and placed them around the stable – the angels, the shepherds with their two tiny sheep, the three wisemen with their gifts, a cow or two and a donkey. Then we put in the manger and Mary and Joseph close by. Baby Jesus was not placed in till first thing Christmas morning.

The crèche is still an Important part of Christmas to me. So much time and energy are spent with gifts and cards and the Christmas tree, but the crèche tells the true meaning of Christmas. Every year we set ours up by gently unwrapping each piece and placing them around the stable. Today there are so many different kinds of crèches. Some are big. Some are small. Some rustic and some works of art. I even saw a bear family and moose family crèche up here in the mountains. Some even have live characters. I had a part in a living crèche when I was about 9 or 10. I was St. Joseph. What a special time that was for me!

So, as you get ready for Christmas this year, set up your crèche before you get involved with all the other trappings of Christmas so that you can look at it every day as you count the days to the real meaning of Christmas, the coming of our savior, Jesus, once again.

Donna Tyburski, elder

‍