One of the unfortunate things about the secularization and commercialization of Christmas has been the lost Christian understanding that the Christmas "season" begins, rather than ends, on Christmas Day. That is where the "Twelve Days of Christmas", popularized by the Christmas carol, comes from (leading up to the Epiphany or Three Kings Day celebrated on January 6th).

The season leading up to Christmas season/day has been called "Advent" for centuries by Christians (for a history of Christian Advent/Christmas practices, click here). Advent in the dictionary is defined as "the coming or arrival, especially of something momentous: the advent of the computer, etc.". The four (4) Sundays of Advent leading up to Christmas Day/Season, are a period in which we wait in joyful hope for the day/season in which we commemorate the birth of Jesus.

But during an advent period, you are waiting on something yet to come, not something that has already happened. So during this period we choose not to put the baby Jesus in the manger scene, to commemorate in our own way our "advent" season, the anticipation of the momentous birth of God incarnate.

Beginning on Christmas Day (December 25th) and through the twelve (12) days of the Christmas Season, we'll have Jesus in the manger. This is also why our lights display runs until January 6th, the true end of the Christmas season. We hope you'll join us in keeping the JOY of Christmas season alive AFTER Christmas Day and throughout the Christmas Season. And come visit baby Jesus Christmas Eve or during the entire Christmas season.