A mother and father. A tiny baby born in the humblest of circumstances. An influence that reaches beyond the ages with power to change the world.
Each year at Christmastime, people in many countries around the world set up reminders of that little family in Nativity sets or crèches.
That simple act follows an age-old tradition. From the 3rd century on, the birth of Jesus has been celebrated in Bethlehem. Paintings on walls, pieces of wood said to be from the original manger, morality plays were all designed to tell the story and direct the minds of the faithful to God.
St. Francis of Assisi is credited with setting up the first manger scene, using live animals. Spanish missionaries brought the idea of carving religious figures out of wood to the New World.
Since then, practically every Christian culture has added its own touches, and now Nativity scenes are widely collected, studied and appreciated.
In 1999, a small group of collectors, scholars and aficionados gathered in Bethlehem, Penn., to explore the possibility of an organized society dedicated to the Christmas Nativity. The following summer, in Dayton, Ohio, the Friends of the Crèche was born.
Since then, the society has continued to grow and has begun to hold national conventions around the country.
The 2009 Friends of the Crèche convention will be held in Salt Lake City, Nov. 12-14. It will be the first time the group has met in the Mountain West, said Holly Zenger, a founding member of the organization's board of directors and chairperson for the Salt Lake gathering. There are approximately 400 members of the organization; she expects about 200 will be at the convention, which is being held at the Radisson Hotel on South Temple.
With the theme of "Follow His Star," the convention will feature a variety of lectures and activities centered around the Nativity.
Among them will be Father Johann G. Roten of the Marian Library in Ohio, talking about the Black Madonna; local author Richard Paul Evans, telling the story of his Christmas books; and a "History of Stained Glass and Its Depiction on the Nativity" by glass expert Julie Sloan. There will be talks on antique Nativities, cataloging, the wise men, local art that depicts the Nativity and a demonstration of how to make Christmas Kristollen bread.
In addition, there will be a juried show of high school students' art, an exhibit of drawings by elementary school students, a fashion show of biblical clothes presented by Utah Lyric Opera, idea tables with crafts and projects appropriate for teaching children about the Nativity, a vendors mart with dealers from all over the country, a display of Nativity scenes — including a 1,000-piece Bethlehem scene — and a replica of Michelangelo's "Pieta" made of carerra marble and one of only two known replicas in the United States.
The convention is open only to members of Friends of the Crèche, but it's not too late to join and attend, Zenger said. Membership costs $30; registration is $175 and will be taken up until Thursday morning. For more information, visit www.friendsofthecreche.org or call 801-479-6954 or 801-547-5180.
Friends of the Crèche is also offering a one-day pass for $60, for Friday's activities, which include the luncheon and Utah Lyric Opera presentation, as well as other lectures, gifts and activities.
Everyone is invited to Public Day, which takes place on Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., where the public can view the art show, the crèche displays and purchase from the vendors, all at no charge.
"The Nativity is such an integral part of our faith and of Christmas," Zenger said. She said she believes every home should have at least one Nativity set to put out at during the Christmas season. "We didn't have one when I was growing up. Now, I give my grandchildren their own sets for their birthdays."
That sentiment is shared by all the women on the organizing committee who are working on the convention.
"I've collected Nativity sets for what seems like forever and ever," said Evalyn Bennett. "I bought my first one at Kresses back when I worked for the Deseret News. It cost $10, which was a lot in those days. But I still have it."
Now she has sets from all over the world. "It's fun to see how each one emphasizes different things. My son was in Africa, and he asked a local woodcarver to make me a Nativity. He thought the stable was a table, so he has Baby Jesus lying on a table. It's precious." But, she said, "that's the fun thing. Every culture has a different twist."
That's a thing that Diane Murdock also loves about them. "In Indonesia, they use pigs and chickens. In Alaska, they have polar bears and seals; in Chile, it's alpacas and llamas. But they all have the same spirit. They are all about a baby; and everyone has babies, whether they live in Malta or Madagascar."
Murdock said she got interested in collecting when she went to the annual displays Zenger and others put on in Midway. "Now we do our own show in Pleasant View. It's probably grown to the second-largest in the state."
Nola Child has been a collector since 1981. "I just love them," she said of Nativity sets. "I love the beautiful feeling they bring into my home. I set them out at Christmas and just wander around basking in that feeling."
Marilyn Gillespie has been a member of Friends of the Crèche since the beginning, and has attended all the other conventions. "They are so informative. I was surprised at how much there is to learn — everything from how they are made to how to preserve and restore them, to some of the symbolism, such as the way Mary's hands are placed."
But what she loves most is that "they bring Christ into Christmas. This is what it is all about."
e-mail: carma@desnews.com
If you go...
What: Friends of the Crèche Convention Public Day
Where: Radisson Hotel, 215 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City
When: Nov. 14, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
How much: Free