The Nativity Scene

[This short essay was originally accompanied by a photograph, lost somewhere in Virginia's many the boxes of ephemera, perhaps years ago when she moved from her Palo Alto house to a old folks' home in the area.]

When the Huntley-McKinnon family home in Wadesboro, NC, was dismantled, one of the treasures discovered in the Plunder Room was this Nativity Scene. Emily Toy Huntley McKinnon probably assembled the group during the thirties, for the principal figures were molded in Germany and the price for sheep, pencilled on the underside, was 2 for 5 cents. It was a mobile scene, like the early Mystery Plays, travelling from 3 Brent Street to the second grade of Wadesboro Elementary School and the Wade Mill School, both long gone, and to the Primary Department of the First Baptist Church. This depiction of the Holy Babe with Mary and Joseph, the wondering shepherds, and the wandering Wise Men carries a provenance of many small hands touching and holding.

Perhaps it was the interest of children in one of the players--the donkey--that accounts for his absence when the other pieces were found carefully wrapped and packed away. His spindly legs, tiny body, and greyish coat that actually felt fuzzy, must have seemed irresistible to children and at some point he became too crippled to stand. Our cousins Connie & Bill McKinnon found the new donkey, who instantly slipped into his role and is now resting after the journey. Soon he will carry Mother and Babe on the Flight into Egypt.

When Virginia and Andrew Mann were working on the photograph, there seemed a certain mystery involved in the placement of the figures. At some angles the Wise Men were deep in conversation; at others their attention was drawn to the Baby Jesus. The position of the Angels was especially difficult. It seemed to us that the Angels should hover, but these particular ones remained earthbound, the smallest one insisting on center stage and apparently moving slightly when the shutter clicked.

When the figures are reassembled each year they renew their relationships to one another and to our childhood memories of celebrating Christmas. We hope that this card is one that Emily would have enjoyed sending. It is sent to wish you a happy Christmas, 1987.

[Paragraph breaks added for the sake of readability.]