Follow that Star!

(note: this was supposed to be part one of a three part post, but I got too tired and decided to go to bed instead - so here's part one, perhaps I'll get around to parts two and three tomorrow)

Christmas is starting to kick in just about full-time around here, and this past weekend was a plethora of festivities to prove it. First up - Friday night and Follow the Star.

Every Christmas season the Rancho Santa Margarita Stake (aka our stake) presents, as a "gift to the community from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" a living nativity known as Follow the Star.

It is held at one of our more modern church buildings in perhaps one of the most beautiful locations, high up on the hill overlooking RSM, Mission Viejo and Lake Forest. If it wasn't for that last hill dividing Aliso Viejo from Laguna Beach, one could probably see all the way to the ocean from its front door.

But since Follow the Star is held in the evenings, none of that really matters. The outdoor living nativity and accompanying program is held on the back lawn on the building, and inside the building is a beautiful display of hundreds of creches (little nativities) from around the world.

have you ever seen a:
because you will here. There were also creches made from car parts, kitchen utensils, Montana slate rock, coconuts, as well as many, many more made of traditional wood, stone and other materials, all depicting the baby Jesus lying in his manger, most often surrounded by Mary, Joseph, wise men, animals, you get it.

For the kids there are eye spy papers, with close-up photos of several different kinds of baby Jesus' that the kids then go around and try to find and check off. Above is Jack surveying the scene.

We all liked this one; it was from Australia and had two kangaroos attending baby Jesus
(also it is a shout out to our cousins down under - hi Halls!)

This Japanese creche was just one of many that I found so beautiful

Next we headed outside into the chilly (!) air for front row seats to the living nativity.
It features live animals as well as live people. We could tell our baby Jesus was real, he cried through the whole thing.

The first part of the story tells of the decree that all should return to their home towns to be taxed - this costumed soldier did the decreeing - afterwards through the rest of the presentation Jed kept whispering "when is the soldier coming back?"
So, he was thrilled when the soldier came to greet everyone after the show.
Jed got to shake his hand and

hold his sword!

We invited along our friend Gustavo and his daughter Susie (this whole thing is a missionary tool after all) and she and Harriet enjoyed meeting the living sheep afterwards. Man, those things are soft!

After hot chocolate and visiting with friends it was time to head home. Overall this evening was a beautiful one in every way. The night sky was so clear and beautiful, the area we live in is so amazingly scenic, the people are friendly and welcoming. The creches and the nativity were the perfect reminders of what we are focusing on this time of year. Well, at least one of the things...we hurried home to bed because coming up early the next morning....

Breakfast with Santa!