Monday, December 19, 2011

3 cribs. 1300 posts.





A village ritual .The mayor, his wife, and three ladies from the Beautiful Byeways committee spend Sunday morning setting up the nativity scene in the village church . They then lock the doors and go. The church will now remain silent, unvisited and firmly closed until January 6th . Then the crib will be dismantled and put away for the coming year. Angus thinks this is decidedly spooky . Stepford Wives meets France Profonde. '' The font " thinks setting up a crib in an empty church is no odder than having a cleaning lady who regularly sees aliens in her orchard.

We set up our own crib on the half landing . This crib , long term readers may remember, profers an unusual take on the Christmas story . All the usual characters are there . Shepherds, wise men, baby Jesus , scary angels etc. However Joseph is absent . He's been written out of our version to be replaced by a stern looking older lady with folded arms .

The supermarket also has a crib. In fact it has two. One in the car park and another inside the atrium. The car park crib is graced by a slightly tippled Father Christmas who spends much of his morning trying to entice single, female shoppers into his horse drawn sleigh. Occasionally, some innocent succumbs and off they go clip clopping across the parking lot, sleigh bells jingling, the horses artificial antlers waving in the wind . '' Has Father Christmas got a present for you ! " followed by shrieks of laughter.

Vaclav Havel the former Czech President dies. We met him in Prague in the '80's. The same time we bought the crib . A brave determined man who lived by the motto " Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes ".

Our 1300th dog post this morning . Who would have believed it ? Maybe it is a season for miracles .

22 comments:

  1. No wonder Joseph is absent, the stern looking lady is probably his mother-in-law! :o)

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  2. A crib in a church that is unvisited and locked up over the Christmas period is perhaps the oddest thing you've reported from your corner of France Profonde (although the competition is strong).

    we are saddened to hear of the death of Vaclav Havel.

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  3. If the church is closed, do they not have Xmas services!!!
    Seems to defeat the purpose of their existence.....

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  4. Wilf - we LOVE the pictures of you in front of the tree. Merry Christmas to you and Angus and the Font. We have enjoyed all your posts.

    love
    Julie and Poppy Q
    xxx

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  5. STill no foto of Wilf as father christmas - how funny to have a locked up church with the crib that nobody can see... very odd.
    Your figures look a bit stern too, but very unusual to me.
    Wilfie bacetti sul nasino - time for miracles indeed. Love from Southern Italy Susanne, Foxxiie and Daisy plus Baby Tiger (The Puppy)

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  6. The Church in our little hamlet is also out of service. However, Huguette the
    farmers wife has the key and on christmas and new years eve, the permanent and sometimes residents of the hamlet, dogs included, congregate at midnight, take turns to ring the old bell, sing a few carols, sip a little mulled wine and all almost freeze to death. It's fabulous. Congratulations on your 1300th post. May there be more and more. Kisses for Wilfs boofle nose. xxx

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  7. We were always very entertained, while living in Tokyo, to see who the Japanese would add beside the basic cast of characters to their creches during the Christmas season. Number 1 vote went to snow white and all seven dwarfs!

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  8. Mary has sent Joseph to the store for diapers and formula since the Magi brought lousy gifts to the baby shower. Maybe the stern woman is Elizabeth? Maybe a bottle of champagne can convince the mayor to unlock the church for a Christmas service. Wilf can be the polar bear cub in the manger.

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  9. Taking the time to set up the nativity scene, then closing and locking the doors so no one can see it seems very odd.
    Congratulations on your 1300 post.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle, Maggie Mae and Max

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  10. Your village is truly bizarre. A nativity scene set up that no one will see over Christmas? Bizarre. But, the font is right - it's no odder than aliens in the orchard.

    1300 posts. Wow. I'm approaching 1000, and I never visualized that I'd write so many. Miracles everywhere.

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  11. Those are scarey looking angels - but we're diggin' their crazy eyebrows. Maybe Joseph is just off briefly having a wee nip....afterall, it was a very long walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Wishing a very Merry Christmas to our favorite wee polar bear.

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  12. Setting up the crib in the church is keeping a lovely tradition alive. Also, it is a symbol of hope. Hope that one day the church will re-open and congregants will again fill it's empty pews. Isn't that what Christmas is all about, believing. Really believing. Guiding stars, wise men, a wee babe.
    Could the stern looking older woman statuette be sent to the womens cooperative for an artistically done gender reassignment? Ardie could oversee the transformation to be sure that the style and colours remain true.
    Kisses for Wilf. Love to all.

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  13. My friend Elizabeth aka 10nesne1 cracks me up! Strange ritual indeed about the locked up church/Nativity scene in the village.. nobody gets a peek (except perhaps the aliens from Madame Bay's orchard)

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  14. Congratulations on your 1300th post! May we do this again in another 1300 posts! Not fully understanding why the church would be locked up for Christmas? Strange indeed!! However, this reader would like to comment on Wilf and how lovely he looks this day! Keep on going Wilf, handsome boy!

    With love from your Christmasey Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  15. I have to admit, when I first saw the photo of your three "angels", I thought the post was to be about Macbeth. I have no doubt they dispatched poor Joseph.

    I rather like the quirky mysticism of your village crib tradition. I image all the holy figures wandering through the church in private.

    and RIP brave Mr. Havel.

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  16. Love the pictures. Wilf's soulful face is so adorable.

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  17. They set up the nativity in the church and then lock it so no one can see it? Doesn't that completely negate the purpose of the creche and the church? I thought sharing the word was the whole meaning of Christmas!

    I think we need to see a more close up picture of Joseph... I agree with the idea of seeing if the ladies' cooperative could give him a gender reassignment!

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  18. I remember your créche from last year! Congratulations on 1300 posts, wow. Wilf is adorable. If the church must be locked up over Christmas (so weird), I, too, like the idea of the saints and Jesus wandering through it at their leisure, perhaps conversing with the aliens.

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  19. We can't believe the church is locked and not used...oh well, different strokes.

    Congrats on 1300 posts....every one a gem.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  20. Cheers to you and Wilfee on 1,300 posts. May the little boy be around for the next 1,300, please!

    The closed up church is funny but at least the Holy Family can enjoy their anniversary in private.

    Also from me RIP brave Mr. Havel.

    Cheers and Christmas Greetings,

    Jo, Stella and that cat

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