~ Welcoming Magic & Wisdom on the Epiphany & The Nativity Dog

When Sweet Daughter was quite young, we began celebrating the 12 days of Christmas to extend the Holiday Season. Instead of having all the gifts on Christmas Day, I would give her little ones on all 12 days. It ends with the Epiphany, when the Magicians/Magi arrived in the Nativity story.


I was given a wonderful old Nativity set almost 40 years ago that had been started by a family member, whom I loved dearly, when she was in her 20's in 1948. As time went by I was more interested in getting a bigger, more elaborate one because I had lost interest in anything that was old or used. You can get like that when you spend your younger adult years not being able to go out and buy brand new. After I purchased a couple of larger beautiful sets, I kept the old one for my daughter to have in her room at Christmas.

It wasn't until this year that I really longed for that old simple, vintage one. It reminds me of the one we had when I was a kind, which had fewer pieces, and of the one I mentioned above from a very saintly woman who gave me mine. Over the years I had broken 2 of the pieces and that began my search on Ebay to replace them. And that is when I discovered the forgotten character from the story. The Nativity Dog!

You see by the time the Great Magi found the birth place of Jesus, others had already found their way, including many animals. And of course one of these was the Nativity Dog. Who could be more protective and caring to keep watch over the new baby? (Disclaimer: You might not find this part of the story in any of the books of the bible. But we like to think a faithful dog was there in attendance.)

This year I added the dog and some sheep, along with a couple of camels
and a new shepherd .
Mary, Joseph & the Baby are Italian rather than the
original ones made in Japan.

I'm sure the little dog greeted the Magi with the same respect that he would give the donkey or his friends the sheep. After all you know that dogs think we are just one of them.

We have a tradition of a very simple, peasant meal to celebrate the Epiphany, French Onion Soup, with a Fruit Salad and a loaf of French Bread. It is one of my family's favorite meals and that is what they chose many years ago.

~ Hoping & Praying for a New Year of Magic and Wisdom ~