Away in a Manger

When I was a little girl I had a little baby Jesus made out of a knee high stocking. I know it sounds a little strange, but I loved that little baby Jesus dearly. Every year I would take him out of my Christmas ornament box, wrap him ever so gently in his swaddling clothes and place him under the Christmas tree. Every day I would un-swaddle him and re-swaddle him, just to make sure he was cozy and warm in his little manger. Over the years he became very weathered and worn, but I just adored that little baby Jesus. I believe I made it when I was in preschool because each of my sisters 'S' and 'Jenn' had one as well.

This year I again took my little baby Jesus out of my little Christmas ornament box and got him ready for placement under the Christmas tree. However, this year was going to be a little different, I wanted to give my precious baby Jesus to my little L so that each year she could continue to place little baby Jesus under the Christmas tree.

However, much to my horror a few days ago (before I had given it to little L) I found my poor precious baby Jesus ripped and torn and eaten to shreds by the terrible monster that lives in my house!!!!! THE DOG!!!! I was absolutely mortified!!! How she came to obtain my precious baby Jesus is still a mystery! (now please note I love our dog to death but right now she is on the naughty list!!) After this experience I think I need counseling!! Nevertheless, after a few days of mourning my baby Jesus, I decided to make a new one with little L so that she could still have a baby Jesus to put under the tree. Below is a little tutorial of how I did it.

This is our wonderful monster dog!!! She is little L's best friend, they do everything together. Its so precious. But she is still in the doghouse!!

Supplies:

One very large or two average size socks (or any filler stuffing will do)

One knee high (flesh tone)

permanent markers

scissors

twine or rubber bands

Card stock

tape

piece of felt, towel, or cloth

hay

First stuff your knee high with the socks

Next, tie the open end with a rubber band and cut off the excess stocking

Wrap of tie twine around the doll to form a neck, and then draw a face on with permanent marker


Next take your card stock and make cuts along the specified lines (for the purpose of this tutorial I wrote on the card stock). I cut into each corner; 3 inches. Its would even be fun for the kids to color it or use a pattered piece of card stock.

Next, fold up the long ends.

Then fold up the short ends.

Finally fold in all the corners.

Tape the corners to form a rectangle manger.

Fill the manger with hay

Wrap baby Jesus in his swaddling cloth. I had an old towel on hand, but any piece of material or felt will do.

Place your baby Jesus under the Christmas tree.

I hope your kids enjoy this craft as much as we did! Merry Christmas!

P.S.

I love Christmas time and especially the Christmas story. I can't even imagine what it must have been like back in the days of Mary and Joseph. In Luke 2 the virgin Mary is told that she will bear a son (miraculous). She was visited by an angel (miraculous). She carried the Son of God in her belly (miraculous). She made the journey to Bethlehem 9 months pregnant (miraculous). She gave birth to the Son of God (totally miraculous). And finally the best part of all is that God sent his son to be born a man and save us all from death and torment (wonderful, marvelous, amazing, miraculous)!

Luke 2: 28, 31-32, 34-35, 37

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art

highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed are thou among women.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,

and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest;

and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be,

seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her,

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,

and the power of the Highest shall over shadow thee:

therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

For with God NOTHING shall be IMPOSSIBLE.