"Jesus" may be the "Reason for the Season" but sometimes the meaning of Jesus coming into the world gets lost in the translation. One of the ways this happens is through Nativity Sets.

Nativities can be a wonderful and meaningful practice in churches and homes around the world as we prepare for the coming of the King of Kings. But, when there's a buck to be made and fun to be had, sometimes our nativities send some mixed messages or lose some focus.

Last year I posted quite a few of the Worst Nativity Sets Ever on this blog and, I'm planning on doing so again. There is a great list over at WHYISMARKO which I'll draw from. But I hope that some of my readers and friends have some contributions to throw into the mix as well.

Today, on December 1, we start off with one of my favorites, the Precious Moments Nativity pictured above. I've always had a problem with "Precious Moments" things. At my first church I served in Indiana, we had liturgical/seasonal banners for the church in the style of "Precious Moments." And all of them are...so...darned...PRECIOUS...with their adorable little faces on their abnormally large heads.

It's just too cute. I think it's indicative of how we've sanitized and sentimentalized the coming of Jesus into the world.

I hope to have a new one of these posted each day until Christmas.

Enjoy.

And, perhaps, through this we can get closer to the real meaning of Christ coming into the world as that sweet (precious?) baby in the manger.