A Night in Bethlehem

Every year our Stake Christmas activity is "A Night in Bethlehem." They transform the parking lot at the Stake Center into the streets of Bethlehem. You pay your tax of a canned food donation and in exchange receive "money"...I like to call them "Bethlehem Bucks." :) Then you go around to the different merchants and exchange your money for goods and treats. There is a sweets booth, which only charges one piece of money per family!! :), a fisher who offers gold fish crackers and a well of water...which is freely given to all. There are roman guards roaming around, beggars asking for your money, and rich men offering loans, Inn keepers and risers full of angels singing under a big bright star. At the carpenters shop they give, also freely, nails to remind us of the suffering of the Savior. There is a shepherd outfitting shop where they sell cloth head covers and ties to put them on. There is a potters shop where they sell clay and remind you that we are the clay in our Heavenly Father's hands and a Jewelry shop where we buy bracelets and this year they were also giving away dradels. There is also a gift shop where you can purchase gold, frankincense and myrrh.

  

Kyle came along with us this year. 

Hannah getting her bracelet.

Mary rides about the streets on the back of donkey (a real one). Joseph leads her from Inn to Inn and if you listen you can hear them being turned away at every one. Eventually they settle down in a stable and the Christ child appears in the manger. The Angels sing, the shepherds and wise men come to worship. It is a beautiful night.

This year when we stopped at the gift shop, we explained that these were the gifts that the Wise Men gave to Jesus and moved on to the other shops and booths. While we were listening to our Stake President give his closing thoughts and bare his testimony, Hannah said, "Mom I want to give Jesus his presents." So Jared pulled the "gifts" off of the little paper they were attached to, that explained the significance of each one etc., and gave them to Hannah. She didn't want to go alone, so, she and I went up to the manger and one by one she placed the gifts in his Manger. As you might imagine, I teared up. It was a tender moment. And since then, thanks to my sweet Hannah, I've been thinking a lot about the gifts I can give the Savior each day.

Ben on the other hand was interested in the gifts that Jesus had to give and wasn't shy about stealing straw from his manger. :)