The Paso Robles Vine Street Victorian Showcase

I asked Debbie to tell me what she knew about how the Living Nativity, which Morning Star Youth Ranch and Covenant Presbyterian Church presented together, came to happen and how she got involved. Here's what she told me:

I really didn't want to do it after I found out it was going to rain - but I am so glad I did - even if I went reluctantly. DeLisa planned it all - her house in on Vine Street. She and others who are involved at Morning Star Ranch thought it would be nice to use some of the animals from the ranch and then ask friends from church to play the parts. There were three casts with three different shifts (6-7. 7-8. 8-9). The parts were Mary and Joseph, three wiseman, three shepherds. On an enclosed back porch, Delisa had gathered and hung costumes of all sizes for each character. Linda Whitacre met us on the street, escorted us back to the porch, found the costume that fit and then walked us to the scene. Joe, my husband who played Joseph, stood behind me on small covered porch - no rain for us at all. The shepherds (my son Matthew was one of them) stood with a goat from Morning Star under a large umbrella on the front yard to the right of us. The wisemen (my son MIchael was one of them) stood under a large umbrella to our left. A donkey from Morning Star was to also be in the yard, but he was sick that day. I held a baby doll wrapped in an authentic looking Hebrew receiving blanket. Delisa had two speakers on the porch through which she played Christmas music - it was a CD of Andre Bocelli singing Christmas music. A few of the songs weren't right for the scene - like "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." So Joe would ring the doorbell and Linda Whitacre would change the track from inside. I enjoyed rocking and holding the "baby" - I tried to put myself back into Mary's situation - an almost impossible task - how does one birth and then nurture the Son of God? My heart was calm and still. The hour was over before we knew it.

What the boys had to say about their participation:

Michael - Wise man (age 13) - It was tiring holding up the patio umbrella for an hour, and I had to keep spitting out my itchy fake beard. Yet, I liked seeing the people come and witness the true meaning of Christmas. It's not about getting gifts and eating peppermints, but about a King born to save mankind.

Matthew - Shepherd (age 10) - I liked standing with the goat and petting it.

The photo in this module was taken by Angela Marie Ojeda and used with permission.

What you can't see in this picture is the fence around the house or the live Scrooge on the balcony telling the people to get away from his house as they wish him a Merry Christmas. To this he replies, "I hate Christmas." And the people outside the fence boo as he continues with "Bah! Humbug!"

The people always gather outside his fence and there is always interaction with the man impersonating Scrooge. The kids love it, as do the grown-ups.