We have my mom's handmade/painted ceramic crib set. A friend was over and commented we already had the baby Jesus in the scene. He said he always waits until Christmas morning. I asked him about the 3 wisemen, shepards etc.. He laughed and said we have them there already, not waiting until after the birth.

What's the tradition at your house?

Baby Jesus is in a drawer here. Wisemen arrived early

Baby Jesus should never be in the manger until Christmas - midnight.

 

That's a huge pet peeve of mine when driving around looking at the lights and nativity scenes that people put up.

 

Someday, I'd love to have a nice nativity scene for my yard and you can bet I'll be out every night moving the 3 wise men just a bit close each day until they arrive.

The three wise men (actually wizards or sorcerers) were not actually there when Jesus was born. They did not arrive until he was like 2 or 3 years old and Mary and Joseph had already moved into a house.

 

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

 

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

 

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

 

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

@PP1

So you do not add the wisemen at all? What about any shepards, etc. I'm sure they were not hanging around prior to the birth. So do you just have a Mary and Joseph with a couple of barn animals in your nativity scene until December 25th?

@PP1

So you do not add the wisemen at all? What about any shepards, etc. I'm sure they were not hanging around prior to the birth. So do you just have a Mary and Joseph with a couple of barn animals in your nativity scene until December 25th?

 

That's what I would do. The wise men will be seen off in the distance of my yard and then after 12/25, I would move them closer each day until the Epiphany (1/6) when they would arrive at the manger.

That's what I would do. The wise men will be seen off in the distance of my yard and then after 12/25, I would move them closer each day until the Epiphany (1/6) when they would arrive at the manger.

 

I wish someone would get you a life size nativity scene...and then sit in their car each night as you lugged the 3 wise men and their camels closer to the manger. Better yet, a live nativity scene so you have to deal with spitting camels...that would be legendary

I wish someone would get you a life size nativity scene...and then sit in their car each night as you lugged the 3 wise men and their camels closer to the manger. Better yet, a live nativity scene so you have to deal with spitting camels...that would be legendary

 

Ummmm, that's all Mr. Cat's job! My job is to sit and look pretty. :smug:

I guess I am embarrassed to say that I do not have a Nativity Scene in yard. I think there is one somewhere in the house but my wife is the one in charge of the decorations.

I guess I am embarrassed to say that I do not have a Nativity Scene in yard. I think there is one somewhere in the house but my wife is the one in charge of the decorations.

We don't have one in the yard, just the one Mom made. And for a cool twist, Mrs. TAC set them up in an old P&G crate from my dad's days there.

Maybe you have a Harry Potter playset that can hold the wizards and sorcerers until the day of their arrival. :lol2: Just kidding of course. Love the little twist in each of our religions. I'm pretty cool with all faiths! Wish I was more in tune with others. Merry Christmas my friend!

As a kid, I remember playing with our inside manger scene. We always had baby Jesus out the whole time. We have always put our Jesus out early as well. I don't see a problem with that.

None it the yard, but several in the house. We don't "stagger the arrivals".