A Heritage Nativity Set

... hand-painted by Wyora ...

One day when Moiya was visiting Aunt Lenore, Lenore took her aside and told her that she had something she wanted to give her.

In Relief Society, many years ago, the women had plaster of Paris molds of the Nativity and painted the figures.

Wyora did one for Lenore and one for herself.

... the Wiseman's crown has been chipped away ...

I remember ours well.

When I was young ours sat on the mantel piece and was reflected into the mirror behind it.

I am not sure that we always had a stable for the figures to sit in, but one eventually came when there was money for it.

... the earless top of the donkey's head now showing wear and tear ...

I arranged and re-arranged those Nativity figures with great frequency, not just when I dusted, but whenever I saw someone else had been changing them around – that is when, I am sure, I moved them back to the arrangement that I preferred.

There was the Nativity on one side of the mantel piece and on the other side, a church – a winter scene, painted white and the rooftop glistened with snow.

... the donkey, now faceless on its more worn side ...

This had also been made in Relief Society out of cardboard. Corrugated cardboard was its roof. I knew this church did not have the shape of the one I entered every week. This one had a tall steep and tissue paper for stained glass windows. If I wasn’t giving it a sideways twist to give it just the right placement on the mantel, then I was on the other side re-arranging the Nativity figures.

... played with so much that the blessed child has lost its hands and feet ...

This must have happened at Lenore’s house as well, for you can see by the look of the figures, that they are as well worn as the ones were at our house: lovingly, tenderly chipped by small hands that loved the nativity set.

Arta