HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

I saw a nativity scene in the store last week. It was not on the shelf, but it was close. It was on the shelf way up high, presumably ready to descend upon us as soon as the pumpkins were cleared out. I am not ready for Christmas to happen. The year has zipped by so fast, I can hardly believe it is happening in just a few months.

In my old neighborhood, one of the small community churches really took the nativity scene concept seriously. While some churches had an outdoor manger scene with plywood cut outs or illuminated figures, theirs was life sized. In fact, all the figures waved at you. Church members volunteered in shifts, threw a cloak, veil, or crown over long underwear and waved at passersby. Not all of the animals were real, but a few of them were, depending on what shift it was. You know, Heavenly Hosts, and Oxen and Lambs who keep time need their hay and water break too.

Upon inspection, I found that there are nativity sets that are indeed life sized and do not require farm animals with union contracts.  In fact, some of the figures who are standing upright are even 6 feet tall!  Looks like Rev. Jim and Mr. Marple don’t have to figure out how to hide their hunting caps under crowns again this year.   They are all made of fiberglass.  The figures, not Rev. Jim and Mr. Marple.  Yes, if they found some generous benefactors to purchase their stand ins, they can spend more time volunteering at the soup kitchen and getting their rest after shoveling the new fallen snow.

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