Driving around my community, you will see houses covered with twinkling lights, prancing reindeer in lights, huge inflated Santas and Snowmen (yes, snowmen in Florida) but NOT one Manger scene of the Nativity of Jesus.
We wanted to find a way to remind people passing by our house that Christmas is about the Birth of Christ.
Here's what my husband & I decided to do:
We have a large oval wicker basket with handles (a wicker laundry basket would also work). We filled with straw-like mulch from WalMart ($1.75 for a bag) . Then I went to the Goodwill Store and got a big (about 18 inches long) baby doll for $3.99. We wrapped the 'baby' in swaddling clothes (white towel) and made a gold halo from wire ribbon to put around his head.
We plan to put our Manger with Baby Jesus in front of some shrubs in our front yard and light it with a spotlight.
Just imagine if 10% of Christians put a 'Nativity' basket in their front yards what a message that would send this Christmas. While the ACLU is fighting to keep Nativity scenes out of public places....we can remind people of the real meaning of Christmas by creating our own Nativity scenes on our own property!