I think the Epiphany's lovely too.
Our Priest when I was young wouldn't put the 3 Kings in the Crib because he said they didn't get there at Xmas.
If I was doing a Crib I'd put them a bit outside, on their way.
It's all such a lovely story.
I wanted to see The Nativity Story but think I've probably missed it now.
Bonnie very scathing because I said it was true but it is based on some sort of true events.
And I love the Kings being astrologers. They are very glamorous and exotic and I also love the symbolism of their gifts. As far as I'm concerned pagan stuff and Christianity go together.

I loved the following Epiphany comments from Pompadour! my lover and I both discovered we both set the Kings/Magi/Wise Men away from the crib for same reason as she does! I'm impressed by priest who left them out for the same reason.

Ihave two sets of crib figures. my Mum's 'old' set because she bought herself a newer lot and one I bought on holiday in Kenya.

Mum's old ones are a mix of a chalk baby Jesus and plastic everything else of different quality, age and detail acquired over the years. I love having connection with old. the Kings are probably 'poshest' (for plastic!) figures and the set goes on my TV - How classy is that?! The 'tableau' is at centre with kings offset at edge of TV approaching the crib.

My lovely wooden Kenyan set is quite extensive, and is replete with animals, a star, angels and shepherds. Sadly one angel has lost a peg so he is wingless and one shepherd has lost his staff. They are on the unit in my hallway and have lots of space. The three wise men (and their camel!) are seriously off-centre, just bypassing the telephone!

Strangley in a twisted irony, Jesus' father-substitute appears to be missing from both sets, so the patient carpenter has his own stand-in in both sets - a shepherd - Somehow it seems fitting...

Well! I did get some sleep. I managed to allow loads of time to get there and found parking. Cardiff was full of bits of twig after the stormy weather but all went well. I arrived at the Welsh Assembly offices in good time and there appeared to be no record of my meeting... Luckily, despite busy-ness of reception the young man 'seeing to' me was very helpful - and a phonecall later, pointed out that person I was seeing was now actually based in Merthyr - twenty miles away! I spoke to my contact and decided that rescheduling was most sensible option.

My lover was visiting and was going to look at my leaky radiator in my absence. I arrived home first due to the non-event of my important meeting.

Meanwhile my lovely eucalyptus tree was looking awfully dangerous in the winds, so we ended up taking it down! Sawing down a tree in high winds between the downpours felt totally mad, but it was such a relief not having to worry about it. Some lads had actualy knocked my door to tell me that it looked dangerous so I think they felt very important that we'd taken them so seriously. After that sawing down my bay tree that had begun creaking and tapping my window was nothing!

Without the eucalyptus, my front garden is far more exposed so the Mad Woman of Fairwater might have to be a bit more careful with casual gallivanting out the front improperly dressed!