The Green Bag

This is the story behind the nativity scene that was displayed in the window of the OrrViews office in Orrville, Ohio during the 2003 Christmas Season.

On Behalf of Harrold and Ethel

Some of you will remember, and some of you probably never knew, that after Harrold died in 1984, mom used the church memorial fund money that was given in his name to buy a lovely nativity scene. She took the figurines and the wooden stable to a local florist who designed and built a wonderful setting for it. It's about 4' x 2' and quite lovely, with wood and greenery resembling an outdoorsy setting.

Every year Paul and I would get it out of her basement, load it in the car and take it out to the church in time for the first Sunday in Advent. I'm sure Molly and Tish often got involved in the process, too. Sometimes our kids would come along. After awhile we figured out that it would be easier to just keep it in our basement and carry it back and forth rather than loading it into the car.

So since 1985 the manger scene has been on the altar in the Chapel at the church. I had been thinking about it this fall, knowing that it needed a little repair work and some freshening of pieces that were getting a bit beat up. I kept putting off taking it somewhere to have that done.

Then a couple weeks ago the wife of our new pastor, who is organizing a wonderful "Hanging of the Greens" service, asked if we would mind if the crèche didn't get put into the Chapel this year. Perhaps next year they would re-introduce it as part of the service. I told her that was fine, whatever would work for her. And I was a bit relieved that I didn't have to scramble to get it fixed up in time.

Then I realized that I could probably get the things I needed to fix it at the local hobby shop . They carry stuff that lots of model railroaders use - shrubs, moss, trees - all that kind of thing. And it also occurred to me since the Chamber is once again coordinating the downtown window decorating, that the beautiful crèche scene could be shared with the entire city instead of just our church.

This afternoon with glue gun and spray fixative in hand, I was ready. Paul and I carried it up from the basement and set it on the island in the kitchen. ( Usually we just trekked on over to the church, set it on the chapel and uncovered it. )

I started on the greenery - patched a few places and stuck in a few new trees. Then my eyes turned to the wooden stable...

WHAT THE???

Half of the inside of the stable was full of feathers (quite familiar pieces of the white feather boa that is with the costumes in the basement) and lots of bits of soft pink insulation. It was a charming, cozy, rosy nest.

Seems a little Christmas mouse - and probably her entire family - had enjoyed quite a luxurious stay in Mary and Joseph's stable sometime between last January and today.

I put on a latex glove and started pulling stuff out. It would have easily filled a bucket! Packed in tight were lots of fluffy white feathers and bits of soft pink fluffs of cottony foam insulation.

Finished the cleanup and fixup. Paul helped me take the setting downtown to the OrrViews office - just the right size window. Hung a lighted star over it. Looked good.

Baby Jesus, and all the other appropriate players in their places. A cow and a donkey in the stable - no mice. At least I don't think so.

So for this year, the nativity scene that Ethel bought in memory of Harrold has a new home where lots of people can enjoy, appreciate and be moved by it. An extra note to this story - it's in the building that Doug owns.

I think the folks would like that.