Doug brought home a box from the Post Office yesterday and by about 8 pm I was feeling good enough to be excited about opening it. It was our much anticipated, saved-up-for, Japanese Kokeshi Nativity. "Kokeshi dolls are handcrafted wooden folk art dolls made by Kokeshi artists in Japan".
(They're also very lovely.)
Since we collect nativities, we've been on the look-out for one the whole time we've been here. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. (Not surprising in this non-Christian country.)
We finally found this one at KokeshiDesigns.com and although it sorta felt like cheating to buy it on-line, I'm glad we did.
It's beautiful and I love it.
And since we were breaking out the nativities, we decided to break open the extensive packaging around our Thai Nativity for the first time. Since we just got it in February, this is the first time we've gotten it out. It's even more awesome than I remember and I'm SO GLAD we went on a half-day adventure to find it in Thailand!
It looks really pretty on top of last years Christmas present:
My awesome-deal-refurbished-by-Abe-San piano.
(BTW, This painting "Christ at Thirty-Three" by Heinrich Hoffman is the very one that hung in my home, above our piano, for my whole childhood. It's always been my favorite image of Christ.)
The details and craftsmanship of these handmade dolls is/are amazing. I could stare at it for hours. 
(Well, if I didn't have ADD I could.)
(If you want to order one, the information is at the end of this post.)
And finally, we have the Nativity the kids are allowed to play with. I've had the basic Little People Nativity set for a few years now. But when my friend Tami introduced me to the expansion set, I had to have it.
Doug came home from work one day about eight months ago and I had to tell him I spent over $100 on Fisher-Price.com. On Little People.
He wasn't thrilled.
(Did I mention I got the Little People Mayflower and the First Thanksgiving set too???)
Some women buy shoes and purses. I buy Little People. What of it?
But can't you just sense the joy radiating from the back of their little heads?
I love Nativities, I love my boys,
and I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
