tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post5791904097001346279..comments2023-10-11T04:09:53.564-07:00Comments on materfamilias writes: Here and There, Then and Now, A Christmas Link. . . materfamiliashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-4526580213389819992016-12-23T14:06:10.075-08:002016-12-23T14:06:10.075-08:00Thank you Marie-Odile! We had another exciting sig...Thank you Marie-Odile! We had another exciting sign yesterday as well -- I'll have to post about it soon.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-88769947398550399592016-12-23T14:05:39.942-08:002016-12-23T14:05:39.942-08:00Don't be silly -- no apologies necessary! It d...Don't be silly -- no apologies necessary! It does look a bit igloo like, and we Canadians do get an igloo-association. . . materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-31902643573841591632016-12-23T14:04:56.472-08:002016-12-23T14:04:56.472-08:00If the Spanish can. . . . why not? I used to do an...If the Spanish can. . . . why not? I used to do an Advent wreath and candles when my children were small -- three purple and one rose, and we'd light them each night. Lovely to hear that you still put yours up; I haven't for years.<br />And I'm charmed beyond measure to hear that you tell your refugee children the Bethlehem story, as a story that provides context for the new culture they are joining -- and your last sentence! I suspect you must be a wonderful teacher. materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-80791472583718080352016-12-23T14:02:21.822-08:002016-12-23T14:02:21.822-08:00;-);-)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-51138915181129969662016-12-23T14:02:13.933-08:002016-12-23T14:02:13.933-08:00Nice summary of what I love about this also Lorrie...Nice summary of what I love about this also Lorrie, thanks!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-45061716144662006312016-12-23T09:13:07.305-08:002016-12-23T09:13:07.305-08:00So perfect... This and the skirt were meant to be,...So perfect... This and the skirt were meant to be, as a sign to help you settle in this new urban life :)Marie-Odilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01355868749168296642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-6887400764991381392016-12-23T08:54:17.147-08:002016-12-23T08:54:17.147-08:00Apologies for the Scots putting 2 + 2 together and...Apologies for the Scots putting 2 + 2 together and making an igloo of 5 on IG!<br /><br />How lovely that you found the nativity scene in Vancouver! Lindahttp://occasionalscotland.blogspot.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-3047332378109639452016-12-23T05:34:34.173-08:002016-12-23T05:34:34.173-08:00How lucky you were to find that nativity set at ho...How lucky you were to find that nativity set at home after your regrets of missing it in Bordeaux! <br />I have a set of white ceramic figures with red decorations which an aunt of mine brought from Mexico way back in the 70s. I confess that I do not bother with setting them up one by one but rather arrange the whole set at the beginning of December. My justification is that this is how they do it in Spain, or so I am told... But I also put up four candles in between and every Advent sunday I add a light.<br />As for the story of Bethlehem, this year I presented it to my class of refugee children, all of them muslim. Not with any religious intentions, of couse, but simply to help them understand what they see and hear around them at this time of the year. They were quite thrilled. After all, most of them could easily imagine what it is like to spend the night in a stable...Eleonorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-65816587718906568262016-12-22T14:36:32.667-08:002016-12-22T14:36:32.667-08:00Fabulous story!Fabulous story!K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-47638272790446385632016-12-22T08:36:00.938-08:002016-12-22T08:36:00.938-08:00Love everything about this - the whimsy of the sce...Love everything about this - the whimsy of the scene, the serendipity of finding it in Vancouver, and the importance of some sense of biblical literacy in order to understand our culture. Lorriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653026442945027184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-80239490865131483452016-12-22T08:34:34.818-08:002016-12-22T08:34:34.818-08:00This is a pet peeve of mine, too. Although I put o...This is a pet peeve of mine, too. Although I put out all of the figures at once (I didn't grow up in a liturgical community), we like to commemorate Advent as the prelude that crescendos into Christmas when the celebrating truly begins. Living overseas, I was appalled by so many of our American friends for whom it was all over on the 25th, and some even took their decorations and trees down that evening. <br /> Lorriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653026442945027184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-24427242257347157182016-12-22T08:06:03.014-08:002016-12-22T08:06:03.014-08:00Do you still have that Nativity scene? I love that...Do you still have that Nativity scene? I love that you made it out of plasticine! <br />I also love Alessi -- got to see quite a few pieces at an exhibition of Contemporary Design in Bordeaux last month. Marvellous!<br />materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-43621293108678036422016-12-22T08:04:35.680-08:002016-12-22T08:04:35.680-08:00It is whimsical, isn't it? The Wise Guys -- ir...It is whimsical, isn't it? The Wise Guys -- irreverence is its own kind of respect, isn't it?<br />I love the drama of adding the figures -- and my little ones will know that the Twelve Days of Christmas begin AFTER Christmas and end on the Epiphany when we'll finally add the Three Wise Men. . . instead of assuming they begin before Christmas, as seems to have become common this year, suddenly... (#petpeeve)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-50237966545278913572016-12-22T08:01:05.142-08:002016-12-22T08:01:05.142-08:00Yes! Italian! Buon natale to you as well Mary.Yes! Italian! Buon natale to you as well Mary.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-13950273963593795572016-12-22T08:00:40.628-08:002016-12-22T08:00:40.628-08:00So lucky that I only hesitated for a moment about ...So lucky that I only hesitated for a moment about the price tag -- it was obviously meant to come home with me!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-18659010687647242602016-12-22T08:00:09.426-08:002016-12-22T08:00:09.426-08:00Ah yes, exactly what I think, as you can see in my...Ah yes, exactly what I think, as you can see in my response, above, to Carol.<br />Isn't Mary's big heart perfect? It encompasses so much of what is important about this story.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-14225757613148291342016-12-22T07:59:09.281-08:002016-12-22T07:59:09.281-08:00Yes, this is what I hope for as well -- and intere...Yes, this is what I hope for as well -- and interesting that your mother's uncompromising stance freed you to choice, and you passed that along. My concern as someone who taught literature at university for many years is how many of this generation have no familiarity with some of our foundational stories, which are so often referenced in our art and literature.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-80001249068021408232016-12-21T23:27:16.675-08:002016-12-21T23:27:16.675-08:00What a story! And a surprise,it really had your na...What a story! And a surprise,it really had your name on it!<br />It would be fun for your grandchildren! <br />I even made the whole Nativity scene of plasticine (I am not artistic but I'm great in improvisation,baby Jesus and Mary were great :-),naive art-like) when my son was little but always forget the thing with adding figurines-how smart!-I put it all ad once. Have to remember for the grandchildren<br />Love Alessi-colourful and funny and smart (and italian!)<br />DottoressaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-48780924633793263372016-12-21T20:59:47.677-08:002016-12-21T20:59:47.677-08:00Your new set is wonderfully whimsical, which I ima...Your new set is wonderfully whimsical, which I imagine will capture the imagination of the "littles." I thought I was the only one who added the figures at the appropriate time per the story: first the stable animals, Mary and Joseph; the babe on christmas day; then the shepherds and sheep; and finally the wise men, or the wise guys as I still irreverently call them. Here's to new traditions and the honoring of old stories.Ellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04174162283476551873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-62091954876716284032016-12-21T19:54:50.213-08:002016-12-21T19:54:50.213-08:00Serendipity and it's Italian! Buon natale Mary...Serendipity and it's Italian! Buon natale MaryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-5881877574944456062016-12-21T19:05:01.952-08:002016-12-21T19:05:01.952-08:00Wow, how lucky was that?! I'm so glad you were...Wow, how lucky was that?! I'm so glad you were able to track down the set, especially as you weren't even really looking for it. I love the whimsical look. Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05504513116873595049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-23023343304135333612016-12-21T17:39:45.156-08:002016-12-21T17:39:45.156-08:00I have a nativity set given to our family by my g...I have a nativity set given to our family by my great-great aunt. I have never been religious although, as an older adult I appreciate a " faith community", but I have always enjoyed the Christmas Story. Your scene is fun and can be a new tradition. I used to love a giant Nativity scene in front of a church in East Richmond. I think that, in order to appreciate Western Art and Music, a basic knowledge of the Bethlehem story is essential. I really like Mary's big heart!Madame Là-bashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16703782237948233124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-3381272349453759072016-12-21T16:55:06.439-08:002016-12-21T16:55:06.439-08:00What a fun story! While I am more spiritual than r...What a fun story! While I am more spiritual than religious, and my mother was a proclaimed atheist, she never understood the time and effort I put into having my children understand the Christmas story. As my grown children navigate their own spiritual life, I am confident they approach the process from a place of knowledge.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16879695097809867720noreply@blogger.com