One of my favorite Advent traditions, particularly with a family with younger children, is preparing the manger for Christmas. This is the tradition of helping make Baby Jesus' bed soft by extra efforts we make during Advent. In my experience of various Advent devotions, this one, although simple, really touches the young children. The manger or crib is a symbol of our hearts, as we prepare for Christ's coming at Christmas. Advent is the time of preparation, preparing the way of the Lord.
I also think this helps the child to prepare actively for Christmas. Whether or not you believe in Santa Claus in your house, the child is watching his own behavior, and will be able to see extra ways to do good deeds, be promptly obedient, saying prayers well, extra helping without asking, etc. all Advent long.
My uncle made my mother's manger. It’s a very simple pattern my uncle made out of some scrap shelving material (hence the one-sided black color and the rounded edges). The triangular bottom of the manger is ideal for quickly giving a sense of progress in lining the manger in softness. And now having my own house and family of my won dh made our own manger. It's thrilling to pull it out every Advent.
For further explanation about this old French Catholic custom, see my article on Catholic Culture
My uncle was raised on the farm, and this was his own design from leftover wood. As I'm not a country gal, I just took it for granted that it was a similar design he saw on his farms. And so this past Friday when our family went to visit Mount Vernon, I was thrilled to see a feed manger for the hogs in the exact same shape as our family manger! To be able to point that out to my son helps drive home that Jesus was laid in the animal's feeding trough. It was definitely not plush, soft, or gently fragrant surroundings. It provides all the more reason to work hard at filling the manger with hay from our good works and prayers.
While Advent has already begun, it's never too late to start this project. I've provided the pattern in case you want to make your own: manger.pdf instructions.
For the original size, the boards are about 3/4 to 1″ thick. The insides of the manger are 11 3/4″ long. One board is 4 3/4″ wide, and the other is 5 1/2″ wide. The sides (x 2) are 5 1/2″ tall, and at the lowest point is 5″ and tapers into 8″ wide at the top. The dimensions can be adjusted to a different size, depending on what size and “lifelike” the doll is.
The hay or straws we used when I was young were wood shavings from packing material. Now the craft stores sell small bags of “straw” which are longer wooden shavings. Bits of rafia also would be suitable. I try to not pick materials that would be too small so that the children wouldn't see progress in filling the manger.
We use a vinyl doll, about 6-8″ old Vogue doll, similar to my mother’s, which I found an inexpensively eBay a few years ago. The body wasn’t in perfect condition, but I knew it would be covered up by the clothes. My mother believed (and I agree) that baby Jesus should be held and touched and caressed by the children, not a statue that they can’t touch. That brings the reality of a newborn baby closer to home. The clothes are a simple sac pattern, with gathered neck and sleeves, cut from white flannel. I asked my mother to make mine "just like hers". It might not be the description of "swaddling clothes" but it's our family tradition I want to recreate.
Alice Gunther also shared a wonderful craft, Take-Along Mangers and Take-Along Mangers in Miniature that could be used for this custom. This could be the child's individual manger, by his/her bedside. This echoes the idea from Helen McLoughlin from Family Advent Customs:
On the first Sunday of Advent each child in our family receives an empty manger. A sugar box covered with bright paper will do as well. At bedtime the children draw straws for each kind deed performed in honor of Baby Jesus as His birthday surprise. The straws are placed in the child's manger or box daily. It is amazing how much love a child can put into Advent when he is preparing for His Redeemer's coming in grace.
On Christmas each child finds an Infant in his manager, placed on a small table or on a chair beside his bed. Usually it is a tiny doll, beautiful dress; but one of our children receives a Hummel Infant year after year. This custom, which in no way interferes with the larger manger in the living room, fills the child with a longing in Advent, and gives him an image of his Redeemer as his first happy glance mornings and his last impression at night during the entire Christmas season.
As Mrs. McLoughlin mentions, both the family manger and individual child mangers don't work against each other, but with each other.
On Christmas Eve after Mass or Christmas morning before opening presents, we process with candles and singing and one child holding baby Jesus to place him in the manger, and a few prayers around the Crib.
May the Christ Child find safe haven within our hearts at Christmas!
Written by Jennifer Gregory Miller
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