By Charly SHELTON

One of the most iconic images associated with Christmas is the nativity. The baby Jesus, laying in a manger (feeding trough) for want of a crib, with his mother Mary and stepfather Joseph and the three wise men surrounded by the animals of the livery in which they took shelter. Rather than telling the story of that night through the use of a miniature crèche, the Crescenta Valley Church brought the story to life. The sixth annual “Explore Bethlehem: The Interactive Live Nativity” was held on Sunday evening at the church and welcomed between 600 and 700 guests, said Children’s Pastor Beth Krausse.

“I was delighted – super, super happy with it,” Krausse said. “We love having our community here and letting them feel special, and it’s a neat way to kick off the Christmas season.”

In addition to the storytellers who shared the tale of the nativity, there were many activities for families to enjoy. There were camel rides and a petting zoo, a pottery booth, a candle-making booth donated by Tandy Leather, a perfume-making booth, a photo booth with cutout props, a Middle Eastern feast donated by Seasoning Alley, and even a woodworking booth where kids learned to play a game popular at the time of Jesus’ birth.

“We did a dreidel in our woodworking booth and children got to color their dreidel and then learn how to play the game with the dreidel. It was very fun,” Krausse said.

CV Church is planning additional events for the Christmas season, including a Christmas Eve service at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 featuring a children’s dance performance and a small skit from the youth ministry. As for “Explore Bethlehem,” Krause said it was a huge success for all involved.

“I think having the community at our event [was the best part],” Krausse said, “and getting to know them and for them getting to know us. It’s nice to treat our community to a fun family evening.”

  Mary Okeefe