Today we spent the morning and into the afternoon decorating the stake center for the 16th Annual Christmas Nativity Art and Music Festival (that is a mouthful - it originally was called the Creche Festival but so many people said "What's a Creche?" that it got changed). I have the dubious honor of being the Festival Chairperson this year. It's actually a two year calling - the first year you get to be the assistant, which I did last year and then you get to do the whole thing. Wednesday, everyone will bring their nativities (hundreds of them!) and then the Festival will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. My favorite part is the music - they have performances on Thursday and Friday nights and pretty much all day long on Saturday - ending with a community sing of the Hallelujah Chorus. The other part I love is when people come up to us and say, "Thank you so much for doing this." It was amazing last year - it just seemed to me that people were so hungry to be part of a Christmas celebration that entirely focused on the Savior. It's a LOT of work but also a wonderful way to begin the Christmas season.
