Elllen Pentazis wrote this Christmas story and yes, they do have five manger scenes at their house . . .
This year we decorated our artificial tree the day after Thanksgiving. The wreath was hung on the door and decorations were distributed around the house. The most important decorations were displaying my five manger scenes. (We have so many because I want them in all the rooms as a reminder of the reason for the season). We were ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now when I think of Christmas I always remember the smells. My nose tingles with the fragrant scent of pine needles. Smelling the pine scent of ever greens transports me back to my childhood. An unforgettable experience happened when I was ten years old.

Our house was decorated for Christmas and I woke up each morning drawn to the fresh smells of our pine tree and then at the Nativity Scene displayed in our living room. Each ceramic figure seemed to glow and gave me such a sense of peace. I loved to hold each figure and try to imagine how he or she felt during this glorious moment when the baby Jesus was born. Sometimes I actually thought I felt a presence near me.

One day I turned around and saw St Nicholas – not Santa Claus but the real Saint. He said, “Do not be afraid I am the Bishop of Myra but you probably know me as St Nicholas. May I tell you a story about my life?”

I was so awed, frightened, and curious all at once. I said, “Yes, your grace, I would love to hear your story.”

“I was born during the third century in the village of Patara. Do you know where Turkey is?”

I nodded my head. We were learning about world history in school. Also my grandparents were born in Greece and Turkey is close by.

“This city is on the southern coast of Turkey but the area at that time was Greek.”

I smiled.

The Bishop continued saying, “My parents made a lot of money so we were able to live very comfortably. Despite our wealth, they felt church and God was their number one priority. They raised me to love God with all my heart and be a devout Christian. It saddens me to tell you that they died in an epidemic while I was still young. I was taught to obey Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” I used all the money my parents left me, my inheritance, to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. I dedicated my life to serving God. God blessed me and helped me to become known throughout the land for my generosity to those in need, my love for children, and my concern for sailors and ships. This was all possible through the love of God our Creator.”

“Your grace, may I interrupt you? My mom has told me many things about you and I want to know if one of the stories is true. Did you really help a man with three unmarried daughters? The man was poor and could not provide a dowry for his daughters so they were destined for a low life and could end up as street walkers. Did you throw gold into their houses or down their chimneys?”

“I did help the three daughters but how I did this will remain a mystery to you and to others. The important thing to remember is that I gave gifts so the daughters could be saved from a life of shame and all were able to marry and live a good life thanks be to God.”

“So it is okay to give gifts? My teacher said we give too many gifts in America. She said we have become too —what was the word—materialistic – I think that was it.”

“Yes, the world has become materialistic as you say. Many people tend to think of their desires and not their simple needs or the needs of others. We would be happier if we expected less and gave more. It is far better to give than to receive. One gets a true feeling of satisfaction when one gives with a pure heart to those who are less fortunate. If we give a gift to someone today without letting people know who it is from, we can say it is from Saint Nicholas (or Santa Claus). Did you or your parents give a gift to someone in need? When we give a gift to someone we don’t know we are sharing our love with them just as God shares his love with us all.” Even when we give gifts to our family and friends it is okay as long as we are giving without expecting something in return. If our hearts are pure, we feel great joy when we see the recipient of our gift smile with gratitude. This is another example of God’s love working in and through us.

“I really don’t know if we have given to the poor, I will have to ask my parents. Wait a minute, I know — we collect canned goods for the baskets at Sunday school. I think they go to the poor. And I remember now we bought clothes for a family our church adopted for the holidays. Is this how we pretend to be you?”

“The spirit of giving begins with God!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

“Child, you gaze at the nativity scene each day and hold the ceramic figures. Why do you do this?” asked Saint Nicholas smiling.

“I try to imagine what each figure was seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling. “

“Would you like to see the real baby Jesus?”

“Yes, oh yes, could I? How?”

“Close your eyes and hold my hand.”

St Nicholas held my hand and I closed my eyes and felt a rush of wind. I could feel my clothes move in the wind and my face was cool with a breeze rushing across it. Superman probably felt the same as he traveled faster than the speed of light. It seemed like only a few seconds went by —my nose was assaulted by numerous foreign smells: farm animals and straw and a fragrance I never smelled before. I had walked out of my room without my shoes and suddenly I felt dirt and straw under my bare feet. I looked up and saw the cave and the shepherds and yes there was Mary and Joseph and baby JESUS.

“Can they see us, I asked Saint Nicholas?”

“No, child we are here but we are invisible to them.”

I looked from one face to the next. The shepherds looked dazed and awed and couldn’t take their eyes off the Baby Jesus. Mary sat close to the manger and stoked His head and face. Joseph stood close by admiring both Mary and Baby Jesus. The animals were all very quiet but appeared to be both reserved and reverent. There was a peace that settled on the whole area. I noticed a bright star way up high in the sky. I heard angels and then I saw them – all around the cave. Suddenly the three wise men approached. That fragrance I smelled must have been the frankincense or maybe the sweet, pure smell of the Baby Jesus.
Baby Jesus was soooooo beautiful. He giggled and smiled and looked up to the Heavens. There was a golden light above him and of course all the angels. Now as I looked there must have been hundreds of angels in the sky all around us. It was so beautiful and ohhh now I hear them singing. The most beautiful sound I have ever heard. My heart was so full of joy I thought it would burst. I have never felt so truly happy. The Baby Jesus looked right at me and smiled.

“He sees me”, I said excitedly to Saint Nicholas. My heart continued to swell with tremendous joy, contentment and peace. It was a perfect feeling.

“Of course, said St Nicholas, He sees us and watches over all of us all the time. “

“But you said we were invisible. “

“No one is invisible to God.”

Abruptly a light flashed and I was back in my house in front of the manger scene and St Nicholas was gone. I still felt totally at peace. Did I imagine this experience; did I have a day dream, what happened? I looked down at my feet and picked a piece of straw out from between my toes. Did it fall from the manger scene my mom put out on display?
Or………….?