Bethlehem in Waxahachie, TX

Local churches in Waxahachie, TX (that is a real place, and a beautiful little town) put on a live Nativity and build a small version of Bethlehem every November-December. We were so lucky to hear about it before it's last weekend (shout out to Kristi, again!) and we drove the hour + a little drive (blankets, pillows, snacks, and Manheim Christmas CD) to this little Texas hamlet that lies southeast of Dallas (and Fort Worth). It was such a TREAT!

Here is Mary and Joseph on a donkey walking to Bethlehem:

Below is the Tax Collector where they stopped to pay sheckels.

Maddie talked to ALL the shop-keepers and others. She told this man she came to pay her taxes.

He asked her, "What is your occupation?"

She was stumped...I whispered in her ear and she told him, "Seamstress."

He: "How much are your annual earnings?"

She: "8,000 sheckels" (wow!)

He, surprised, "You are a very fortunate seamstress with much work."

She: "Yes."

He, getting out his miniature abacus and figuring out what she owed, "Your taxes will be 80 sheckels."

She: "Oh (crestfallen), I don't have that many sheckels..."

She began to examine many (ancient-looking) scrolls he had and we took this opportunity to take a photo. Luckily the Roman guards weren't around or they would have yelled at her to get out from behind his table. No joke! People are "in character" the whole time. It's wonderful! Here's the 3 wise mens' camels--the kids were fascinated by them. Nick asked, "How could you even get up there to ride on them?!" I told him about my experience in Jerusalem riding a very wobbly, bumpy, uncomfortable camel (1988) and that they have to lay their front legs all the way down to that you can hike up onto their backs... One more photo of 2 wise men after they (and we) visited and heard from King Herod at his court.

Mary and Joseph went to the Inn, followed by about 15 Texans and heard the Innkeeper tell them about his stable...the photo is kind of dark, but here they were just after the shepherds came to visit and hollar out to the world, "The Christ child has been born!"

Here are a few photos of some of our visits to the shops and people and animals of "Bethlehem"

Dramatic children...

This kiln/oven was baking little loaves of bread which we got to try with fresh honey.

Maddie sampled all the wares, talked to all the shop keepers and to the Rabbi in the synagogue, where his students recited the Hebrew alphabet to us. She asked if girls could attend school there and he said, "No, the girls are schooled at home by their mothers to learn all they will need to take care of a home." Then she asked him if he was going to visit the new Messiah...to which he looked confused; I whispered to her that the Jews did/do not believe Jesus is the Messiah and he told her they were still waiting for him to come.

All the Bethlehem "locals" told us "Shalom" as we came and went. I was brushing up a little Hebrew learned in 1988 when I was there, but apparently no one there knew the greeting for "How are you?" which I can say quite well, if you ask me, but I cannot spell it. :)

We are so thrilled to have an authentic, Christ-focused Christmas tradition!! We will go to this every year. We arrived late and missed the town's outdoor ice skating, shops, bon fires, etc. and we hope to combine that with this journey to Bethlehem next year, along with dinner at one of the very quaint restaurants in the old town.

I have to mention the gorgeous homes, surrounded by wrap-around porches and large windows full of wreaths and beautiful Christmas lights. Trees, tall and old, lined the streets and freeway leading into town. IT WAS SO FESTIVE!! AND NEW-ENGLAND-LIKE. It reminded me of New England in such a HUGE way that I was hinting that I might love living there... hee hee