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I need advice.
Last year, I bot the Little People Nativity Set for Gracie. We all loved it, and Grace carried around the Baby Jesus for most of the holiday season. After Epiphany, we packed the Nativity Set up and put it away with the Christmas decorations.
I intended to do the same thing this year, but Grace’s reaction to the Nativity has been different.
This year, Grace has played with Baby Jesus every day.
This year, Grace sang Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus several times a day.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY JEEESUS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
This year, Grace’s Little People had parties with and for Baby Jesus.
This year, Baby Jesus played with all of Grace’s Little People. They cooed at him. They discussed amongst themselves how cute and precious and adorable he was.
No matter what they were doing, Baby Jesus played with the rest of the Little People. He rode in their cars and in their bus. He played in their castle, in their barn, and in their home. He attended their ballerina classes and ate their dinners and played with their pets.
I am torn. I want Baby Jesus to be special, a precious sign of the holiday season. I don’t want the pieces of the nativity set to get lost or spread out all over the house.
But I love that Grace adores her Baby Jesus. We don’t attend weekly church services, so I like that He’s a constant presence in her life (even if that presence at this point is a plastic baby with a halo). I like that she talks to Him. I like that He accompanies her to breakfast and to school.
Because He does, whether she realizes it or not.
So. What would you do?
- Would you put Him away with the rest of the nativity?
- Would you leave the whole thing out with the toys?
- Or would you do something different?
I’m really stuck on this one.
Happily submitted to Finer Things Friday, and Beautiful Life Friday
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I would put the LP Nativity away, but leave out precious Baby Jesus. Even if he gets lost – your daughter had Baby Jesus as her best friend and that's priceless!
Ladybug has been the same way this year with her Baby Jesus. And we have sung Happy Birthday” constantly too. It's so sweet.
I'm leaving Baby Jesus and the animals out with the other Little People, but putting away the stable and Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. To me, if this is such a treasured toy, then let her play with it as much as she wants and PRAY that she doesn't lose Him.
This is the most precious problem I have ever heard of! So sweet!
We have the same nativity set and you plucked the very words right from my life! We have covered baby Jesus in pink play doh (a blanket, of course), included him in everything. My opinion-leave the whole set out. We do. It's in an easy-access place all year. At Christmas, I gather the pieces and put it in a central “display” location. It works for us. But most of all, I don't want my kids to only think of Jesus in relation to Christmas. He lives in their hearts and I want Him celebrated all year long.
We keep our set out. They just love to play with it so much – especially the Baby Jesus.
Aw, I love that! My OCD side would want to pack it all away, and keep it safe and sound. But my mommy side would probably give in and let her keep out and play with it. Maybe you could get special box that it gets put away in each day when she's done playing with it. Might help keep it all together.
That is a tough one! I would be torn as well. I think I might leave it out and then maybe over time if she loses interest you can then put it away. That is so special though because Jesus is with us all the time and even children can be sensitive to that love.
DAWN
Awww that is sooo sweet! I would leave him out
If she was to lose interest at some point during the year, and you could put him away without her noticing later on, that is another option, too. That is so great that she is enjoying baby Jesus so much, it would be a great way for her to celebrate him all year long!
I put our set away last year – but will probably leave out the people/anals this year & just put the stable away until Christmas. My kids are the same way with it. It's so sweet
Definitely let her keep him. What a wonderful daily reminder for her!
(If it makes you feel better, Maddie calls her little (girl) doll Baby Jesus. She carries her around, sings to her. There is always a little old lady asking her what her dolly's name is. I half cringe/giggle waiting for their reaction to her matter-of-fact “baby Jesus”.
That's so true! That's really what I *wanted* to do, but I wasn't sure if I should.
I love that, especially the emphasis on praying that she doesn't lose Baby Jesus.
I also like the idea of leaving it out on display all year.
I know! It isn't REALLY a problem.
I just wasn't sure what to do about it. I love that she's so enamored with her friend, Baby Jesus.
I love it. Do you display it all year long or just leave it in with the rest of the Little People?
Yeah! I'm so glad that this seems to be the norm.
Oh, that is smart! We still have the original box, and we use that for the backdrop and the manger a lot of the time. I love the idea of making a point to put it all away every night.
Yes! I do want it to stay special, but the idea that Jesus is always in our hearts is important, too. She's such an anxious kid, I think she needs that comforting.
You know, several people have suggested keeping an eye on things and putting him away if she loses interest. That's so smart!
Exactly! I think that's what I'm going to do – put away the stable and the background and keep out the people and the animals. I'll worry about finding the pieces next year. Or hit up the replacement parts department.
Oh, I totally love that! You need a video of it!
Yes, exactly. Next year, they might not be so interested in it. I don't want to lose her connection to Baby Jesus. Maybe it will carry through a long while. I love to hear her say “Oh, Baby Jesus! You are so precious!” I could melt every time I hear that.
Let her keep baby Jesus with her every day. When she starts to loosen her attachment to the figure. Have a little talk about how baby Jesus is her in heart and then you can put him away until next year.
I hadn't thought of this, but you can buy replacement parts from Mattel. They sell Baby Jesus for $1.98, plus $4.95 for shipping.
He's definitely going to stay out as long as she wants to play with him.
Would you happen to know where to buy the replacement Baby Jesus? I just unpacked ours and he’s missing!
As a matter of fact, I do. If you go to the Mattel Consumer Relations site, you can order replacement parts. Baby Jesus is $3 plus shipping, or you can get all of the figures for $20. I looked it up last year before I let Grace keep the figures out.
I copied and pasted the link from my browser, and it is -
https://store.mattel.com/transition.aspx?cmd=new&transitionid=103&cat=140&sec=8899
we dealt with the same thing, and last year I put the Nativity away with the Christmas decos. This year, however, my Cora has been the same way–taking Baby Jesus everywhere, making the music every other second, and playing with Mary and Joseph. I think I’m leaving the set out at least until the end of Jan, and then I’ll re-evaluate. I agree–I, too, want it to be special, but next year might be different, so why take it away right now if they like it so much?
we dealt with the same thing, and last year I put the Nativity away with the Christmas decos. This year, however, my Cora has been the same way–taking Baby Jesus everywhere, making the music every other second, and playing with Mary and Joseph. I think I’m leaving the set out at least until the end of Jan, and then I’ll re-evaluate. I agree–I, too, want it to be special, but next year might be different, so why take it away right now if they like it so much?
Definitely let her keep and play with Baby Jesus. That is awesome!
That is so sweet! I'm not going to disagree with everyone, but I've found with my own children that keeping the Christmas toys and books packed away with the other Christmas STUFF makes them “new” and special when we bring them out each year at the beginning of Advent. And then I know where everything is… (for once in my life!)
That was my hesitation, Amy. I do want them to be special, I think. But I also love that she's so excited about Baby Jesus. I'm just leaving it out for now, but if she becomes disinterested, I'll put it away. Thanks for weighing in!
That is so sweet! I'm not going to disagree with everyone, but I've found with my own children that keeping the Christmas toys and books packed away with the other Christmas STUFF makes them “new” and special when we bring them out each year at the beginning of Advent. And then I know where everything is… (for once in my life!)
That was my hesitation, Amy. I do want them to be special, I think. But I also love that she's so excited about Baby Jesus. I'm just leaving it out for now, but if she becomes disinterested, I'll put it away. Thanks for weighing in!
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