Living Bethlehem

While we were winetasting picking up our wine shipments last Sunday we were reminded that Livermore had a weekend long event for a living nativity.  I remember hearing about it for the first time last year, but we never made it out there with my being sick and just before Christmas it would have put me over the edge.  But this year, healthy and all, we ventured back out to Livermore for the final night of performances last Monday.  The show was breathtaking!

Once you arrive you wind your way through the outside of Bethlehem where they have Middle Eastern Dancers, and you can see shepherds and suddenly the Angel appears announcing the birth of Jesus - this we later found out was timed with the performance inside.

And they only allow a certain amount of people inside the gates of Bethlehem - to be registered.

So I could see how the lines would be really long on the weekend.  We happened to go closing night and it really went pretty fast to get inside the gates.

Once inside Bethlehem we saw an actual recreation of what it was probably like.  With sheep and llamas...

And there were different "booths" or shops where you could experience fruit stands, metal works...

.... games... Drew had fun playing Dradel.

... and wood working where Drew made his own hammer!

So there were a lot of things for Drew to do and experience what he's heard and learned about.  But for a 6 year old to experience hands on was priceless.  It was great how we were only talking about incense at his Sunday School a week or two earlier and none of the kids knew what it was... they had some in one of the "shops" and I could show Drew and we spoke of what the Wisemen brought to Jesus.

Suddenly the soldiers appeared announcing the decree that all should be registered...

This paved the way for Mary and Joseph's arrival into Bethlehem.
(The soldiers had to protect the crowd from the Donkey who did get a little stage fright at one point).

So while Mary and Joseph were seeking shelter at an inn, we were allowed inside the next set of gates.  We made our way toward the main stage (stable) while Mary and Joseph continued to go from inn to inn.

Once they settled into the inn, the doors opened showing the baby Jesus was born - and the star shown above the Manger where he lay.

There was a beautiful performance then of Oh Holy Night -

And then the three wise men arrived to offer their gifts... coming in on a camel and chariots.

Shepherds were also there to worship the baby....

And at the end, the angel appeared while they sang Silent Night... and it was so moving.  Everyone in the audience began singing along.

Dave admitted he actually got a bit choked up seeing this show - shhh I kind of did too.  It really was a moving performance.

Drew told us unprovoked how much he liked it too and the next morning while I was helping him brush his teeth he brought it up again saying "Mommy that was really awesome what we did last night."

Here is the link for the Living Bethlehem - shows are over for the "season", but I recommend doing this next year if you're in the area on a Thursday - Monday while it's running.  Even better - it's free!