Wednesday 15 December 2021

AWAY IN A MANGER

 

 

Dating from circa 1954, when I was about five years old, this was my first-ever concept of the Nativity. 

It was – and still is – a cheap, naively designed, gaudily and crudely painted, and indiscriminately glitter-splattered plastic product of the type of Christmas decorations that were, at the time, ubiquitously 'Made in Hong Kong'. 

However, to my young eyes, it seemed – and, oddly, still seems – a simply conceived and roughly presented icon that represents the uncomplicated, yet infinitely mysterious truth at the heart of the Christmas story. 

There is the Stable, the Star, Mary, Joseph, the Baby and, for good measure, a newborn lamb or two.

And the tree? Well, possibly (though certainly beyond the imagination of my five-year-old self) a symbol, in its livid greenness, of life and growth; or, perhaps, a nod to the Old Gods of the Greenwood or to the Christmas tree of our modern Western era (the forest wildness tamed and brought into our homes to die as sacrifice to the season); or, again, if not too uncomfortable a concept, an evergreen foreshadowing of the harsh-grained Wood of the Cross...?

 

8 comments:

tradgardmastare said...

A splendid Nativity Set, full of the memories and hopes of years gone by. An object of devotion pointing to a greater truth.

Tasker Dunham said...

Have you kept that for all this time? You are worse than me. It's wonderful, a collector's item now. The star appears to be a shooting star. However, yes, the idea that the Christmas tree foreshadows the wood of the cross is indeed an uncomfortable concept.

Servetus said...

We had one of those, too.

Deniz Bevan said...

Love that line about the infinite mystery :-)

Michael G. said...

Quite beautiful!c A very Happy Christmas to you and David! love mg

Inky said...

Lovely and a perfect example of how simplicity can sometimes convey a world of meaning. Merry week of Christmas!

Gwen Thomas said...

Thank you so much for sharing this, Mr Sibley. A precious relic indeed! And thank you also for your thoughtful and interesting reflection. God bless, and have a good Christmas!

Brian Sibley said...

Thank you all for your comments on this post. May your Christmas – however you believe and experience it – be peaceful, happy and safe.