How much is too many. - Faith based Christmas Displays. Read Only. No more posting. - PlanetChristmas! Forums. Read Only. We've moved to http://talk.planetchristmas.com - The Forums of PlanetChristmas have moved to http://talk.PlanetChristmas.com
Going to toss this out for opinions, for or against. This is the idea. I put up a life size Nativity on a half acre lot joining my house. It is a Winfield pattern display which sets back about 150 feet from the road. Question, What is the feeling of all of you about having more than 3 wise men. It has always been my goal to fill up that lot with several wisemen, a lot of shepherds, and dozens of animals. All the wise men will be different and painted different and not bunched up but scattered out. Also what is the feeling toward some wisemen coming on elephants and arabian horses. In some of the more expensive small sets you see this. Just thought I would toss this out for all my friends on the planet to voice their opinion. Thanks.
DUB
____________________ I don't care to grow old, but I never want to grow up
I support your ideas. Their was deffanently more then three, and they did travel from a far land, so the ridding animals would be used. I would go for it! Thanks for not "following the crowed"!
Thanks Daniel for the reply and encouragement. That was just the answer I wanted to hear. I'll be letting you know on the progress. Can picture it in my mind what I want to achieve., just got to get to work doing it. Thanks again.
DUB
____________________ I don't care to grow old, but I never want to grow up
Nowhere does the Bible say how many Wisemen came to visit. Everyone assumes three as there were three gifts. I don't recall seeing anywhere either what the mode of transportation was for them. Mary riding the donkey was the only mode of transportation I recall being specifically mentioned in that portion of the New Testament.
May also want to consider a "skyline" of Bethlethem or something.
Way to think outside the box!
____________________ -Dave
It's "Merry Christmas" not "Happy Holidays"
When Winfield says life size, what is the actual height of the patterns? When I think life size I would think about six feet, but in reality that is not always the case.
If you want to get very accurate, make sure you do not build a barn. There is a church built over the nativity. The nativity itself is in an underground cave.
There are thousands of caves in Israel and tradition holds that Mary gave birth in one of these caves in Bethlehem.
Andy,the Winfield Nativity patterns NATC3 is the best looking Nativity set I have seen. They are definitely life size. Joseph is about 6 feet tall and one of the wise men is probably over 6 feet. Shepherds are also life size. The camel is beautiful as is the cow and donkey. This is the set I made a couple of years ago and hope to keep adding life size figures to it every year. I hop to get some pictures posted very soon to let you know how good it really looks not only at night but also in daytime. Thanks.
DUB
____________________ I don't care to grow old, but I never want to grow up
It is my opinion that you should add-in wisemen ubtil you are happy with the way your display looks. Must there be only three, no. How much is too much? That is up to you.
It is your display, enjoy it and be sure to post a picture so we can see you wonderful work!
Chris in Ct wrote: Build anything you desire, I think it's a great idea and a break from the norm.
A break from the norm....what he wants to do is still the norm.....just more of it.
If you want to go outside of the norm, then don't have the wisemen,kings, magi or whatever you want to call them at the manger scene, instead have them following the star and ending up at a house where they will find the young child. That is out of the norm and it is truth.
I had lost people come to me, I heard lost people say "where are the wisemen arn't they suppost to be a the manger scene" The answer I tell them is "no!, actually the wisemen came about 2 years later, they came to a house the bible says, and saw a young child".
They say "I never knew that I just assumed that they were at the manger scene because people put them there?"
I started a thread called "The Wisemen"..... So I asked "Where in the bible does it say that the wisemen came to the manger, can anyone show me the place," ......I wanted to see what people believed on this subject....I found that we know the truth but we still do the norm. It is just like one guy said:" I know that they weren't there but they look so good there." or something to that effect.
Anyhow it is a personal choice if you want them there or not, its between you, God and the lamp post. Me I leave them out and if I get asked why from lookers then I tell them why.
Let me add a But here, but now that I am getting some controllers here in about 9 days I may do like Scott did and use the controllers to dramatize the Christmas story and add Matthew 2:1-12 to the story. I am planning to beef up my display this year and make it stand out more. I live in a small enough town where the manger scene is still excepted.....I had miner vandelizim in the pass at a different house but none here as of yet...and I pray that it does not happen.
____________________ As Tiny Tim Says: "God Bless Us Everyone"
I was recently in Wal-mart walking around when I came across some poster pictures on a end display. I found a picture entitled Adoration of the Magi. This grabbed my attention. It shows the Holy Family surrounded by between thirty five and forty visitors, all paying homage to the Christ Child. Several horses are also in the picture. This is how I would like to display my Manger scene. Lots of people, not necessarily wise men, but a whole field of vistiors, and animals. To me the larger the Nativity scene is the more it will stand out to people going by and looking. A lot of clear lights on trees and bushes in the background is also in my plans. I want people to say have you seen Dub's Nativity scene instead of have you seen Dub' lights flashing on the house. That's my two cents worth and I appreciate everyones feedback . All comments welcome. Thanks.
DUB
____________________ I don't care to grow old, but I never want to grow up
Lightzilla wrote: I started a thread called "The Wisemen"..... So I asked "Where in the bible does it say that the wisemen came to the manger, can anyone show me the place," ......I wanted to see what people believed on this subject....I found that we know the truth but we still do the norm. It is just like one guy said:" I know that they weren't there but they look so good there." or something to that effect.
That was me. I said something similar. I am going to get my wisemen from Lori's Lighted D'lites.
Dub wrote: I was recently in Wal-mart walking around when I came across some poster pictures on a end display. I found a picture entitled Adoration of the Magi. This grabbed my attention. It shows the Holy Family surrounded by between thirty five and forty visitors, all paying homage to the Christ Child. Several horses are also in the picture. This is how I would like to display my Manger scene. Lots of people, not necessarily wise men, but a whole field of vistiors, and animals. To me the larger the Nativity scene is the more it will stand out to people going by and looking. A lot of clear lights on trees and bushes in the background is also in my plans. I want people to say have you seen Dub's Nativity scene instead of have you seen Dub' lights flashing on the house. That's my two cents worth and I appreciate everyones feedback . All comments welcome. Thanks.
DUB
Your point is well taken and your thoughts are pure in regards to the manger scene, but please don't take it personally in regards to my thought about the wisemen being at the manger scene. The wisemen play a very important part when they come to the house to see the Christ child. They worshipped Christ and gave gifts and these gifts repersent His deity, his burial etc. The bible also talks of great lamutation through out all of Jerusalm .....and this happend when Herod killed all 2 year olds and under when he found out that the wisemen went home in a different direction. Herod wanted to destroy the young Christ child. Thats why I don't put them there.
Anyhow now that you mentioned the picture and the fact you said this statement " I want people to say have you seen Dub's Nativity scene, instead of have you seen Dub's lights flashing on the house?"....this shows where your heart is thats for sure.
This may shock you but I am with you on a bigger manger scene.....and yes you will get your massage across ...that we still need to come to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Infact add the song "O come All Ye Faithful" in a light show and focus 16 channels or so on that Nativity scene and you well most diffently have lookers.
Here is something for you to think about.....even if you leave those "Magi" out of the nativity scene, you still have in a true cents of the word... WISEmen in the manger scene.....for every sheppard, for ever man, women and child you have in that nativity is a WISEman indeed. And all who come to Christ are WISEmen. "For the fool hath said in his heart there is no God."
Your no fool when you come to Christ, but a WISEman.
Scott
____________________ As Tiny Tim Says: "God Bless Us Everyone"
Thanks Scott for the kind words and the encouragement. Your reply is greatly appreciated and accepted. I , too can tell where your heart is by the way you express yourself about the Nativity and Wisemen. Thanks again for your knowledge, and I may be asking your opinion on things in the future. Thanks friend.
DUB
____________________ I don't care to grow old, but I never want to grow up
You want to know something Dub ( I said this in Scott Hart's thread) but this is a great forum, full of great people, who helped me out more than any of you can even/ or every imagain. I wont repeat myself for you can read what I said in this thread "My Bible Faith Display".
I am so excited because my "Animated Lighting controllers" should be here this Thursday, it is to bad no one well be home when UPS comes knocking. So I shall see them this Friday Lord willing. Friday is my day off. Once I get the ferris wheel done then I shall see how I can change a few things in the pre-programmed show that they set up for me.
Here are some words to a song I hope I can use in a light show, ( I am going to send a letter or an E-mail to this fellow and see if I can use it in a light show) this would help bring the nativity a greater meaning to to lookers.
The song goes something like this: "Is your heart a manger, is there any room for Him? Is your heart a manger does it cradle the babe of Bethleham, if He came today would you let Him in, Like a modern day wiseman would you follow the light, would the gift in your hands be the rest of your life? Would you kneel before Him and worship Him as you King?"
____________________ As Tiny Tim Says: "God Bless Us Everyone"
Kathy and I have done both the 2/3 and lifesize nativities. We have taken the sheep from the 2/3 and added to the lifesize and will probably use the 2/3 donkey also. We have patterns for 3 different angels that we will be using this year, 1 from the 2/3 size and one from the lifesize, both seem to be about the same size and another angel that is blowing a trumpet. Thought about running cables overhead from surrounding trees to hold the angels and a star right over the stable. Problem will be spotlights that high up for the angels. Most of the time, I build a stable and the last few years I built mine from the bark slabs from a local sawmill. Owner was glad to let me have them for free just get them hauled off. I like the cave idea, it could also be used for Easter. Guess I could build it 2-dimensional. It would be easy to adapt the figures of Joseph, the Wisemen and the Shepherds to look like others but unfortunately I only have two of the Mary patterns and both are kneeling and would be pretty obvious. I also have a Sherwood nativity pattern set. Have to take a 2nd look at it to see what I can get from it.
____________________ GIVE THEM A SHOW, AND THEY WILL SLOW
Joel Jenkins
Dub wrote: Going to toss this out for opinions, for or against. This is the idea. I put up a life size Nativity on a half acre lot joining my house. It is a Winfield pattern display which sets back about 150 feet from the road. Question, What is the feeling of all of you about having more than 3 wise men. It has always been my goal to fill up that lot with several wisemen, a lot of shepherds, and dozens of animals. All the wise men will be different and painted different and not bunched up but scattered out. Also what is the feeling toward some wisemen coming on elephants and arabian horses.
I've always like the idea of having multiple shepherds and sheep. The Bible refers to Shepherds watching their flocks so I think it would be nice to have an area (or areas depending on available space) with shepherds tending to their sheep.
I've seen those Nativity pieces with one of the wisemen riding an elephant. I like them a lot but have no idea about the accuracy.
Lightzilla wrote: If you want to go outside of the norm, then don't have the wisemen,kings, magi or whatever you want to call them at the manger scene, instead have them following the star and ending up at a house where they will find the young child. That is out of the norm and it is truth.
I had lost people come to me, I heard lost people say "where are the wisemen arn't they suppost to be a the manger scene" The answer I tell them is "no!, actually the wisemen came about 2 years later, they came to a house the bible says, and saw a young child".
Each of the 4 Gospels gives a slightly different account of what happened. Although it is not too hard to understand the meaning and the purpose, it is very hard to say exactly what happened (such as who arrived when).
