The Creche (the Nativity scene) is a staple in many homes and public places during the Christmas season. We most likely were taught when we were young about each person depicted in the scene, learned that Jesus was born in a manger (hence the animals present in most creche's), and in all of that came to understand via osmosis how our individual families relate to Jesus's birth and the wider Christmas story. For many of us, those impressions and story elements formed and hardened into "our" story. But has that story gone stale? Does it still move our souls in the way it might have once upon a time? Has our growing into adulthood and experiencing faith shifts kept us from leaning into Christmas, allowing worries about historicity of the story and mismatches in the Gospel accounts to come to the forefront?

In this episode, our wonderful guest, Jody England Hansen, shares ways that she has reanimated the season by various approaches to the use of the creche--Creche Afresh! She shares various rituals that can surround our putting out the pieces and figures, ones for just ourselves but also for involving children of all ages. The ultimate take-away from our discussion is that it takes more than just a mother to birth God into the world! We are all needed, and by reflecting on the nativity scene we can each find how we are called to that.

I think you will find this episode to be very interesting, informative, thought-provoking, and powerful. Perhaps your Christmas will be better from taking the time to listen in today!