In Griswold we assemble a rather large nativity scene that I constructed over several years from polystyrene and decorate with trees, live plants and flowers, dried plants and, this year, with branches from a blooming cherry tree that I found in New York City. The whole creche tradition comes from St. Francis and his Christmas in Greccio in 1223, where he reenacted the first Christmas and had the Holy Mass celebrated near the creche. Click on the images for a larger view.
Posted in Blessed Virgin Mary, Catholicism, Culture, Religion, Spirituality Tagged: Christmas, Creche, Greccio, St. Francis of Assisi 
The pictures just do not do this justice, it is amazing in person!