Which way up?

Continuing with the theme of traditions, we have a couple in our family. Every Christmas, the Father Christmas fridge magnets make an appearance. We are still trying to decide which way up the round ones should go.

Then there are the two crib scenes. I was in The Hague visiting Dutch Scouts just before Christmas many years ago when I bought the one on the left. It sits beside the television each Christmas. The one below was made by my late father-in-law. If I say his occupation was an instrument engineer you will realise he was good with his hands. I'm not certain that he started out intending to carve a crib scene - it could be he was just making farm animals - but that is the use to which these hand-carved figures are put. They sit on the hall windowsill among a few cut-offs from the tree. Unfortunately, there is no Mary or Baby Jesus and the proportions of the figures are not quite as accurate as one might with (look at the camel on the left), But you can guess which one the children prefer.