This year, instead of my usual trek to simply enjoy the Christmas Creche Exhibit in Palo Alto, I volunteered as a hostess. It was fun to meet some of these talented women who collect nativities and display them so beautifully every year. The question visitors repeatedly asked me was: "How long does this take to set up?" (6 days with dozens of workers) And, the comment I heard most frequently expressed was variations of "The presentation is incredible, amazing, so well done, etc.!"
So, one take home lesson for me after hosting at the creche was the power of presentation!
There are always "oohs and aahs" over the nativity collections that span the globe (over 80 countries represented) and enlist every material you can imagine (fimo dough, legos, felted wool, metal, wood, beads, tinker toys, etc.).
But the guests aren't just impressed by the sheer number and quality of creche's on display. They're every bit as amazed at the way each creche is arranged and every room uniquely staged. The entire church building is transformed with trees and lights and every creche on display is showcased with class.
The exhibit looks professionally done but it's actually run by a group of volunteers who are probably more gifted at staging than people who get paid for it! All those years of Relief Society homemaking skills comes to fruition perhaps! In addition to the natural talents of the creche committee, it's a huge labor of love!
Following my annual visit I usually come away with a desire to add to my meager creche collection. But this time I've mostly been pondering the gorgeous presentation of it all. Which has me thinking how this 'importance of presentation' applies to many other aspects in life. Taking a so-so dinner and presenting it well. Giving a lesson with style and flair. I think it's a poignant message that we can take things and by how we adorn them we add value.
The creche exhibit is always a great holiday starter. And this year instead of leaving with an inclination to purchase more nativities, I'm pretty excited about how I can best present the ones I already own. Although I'm sure I'll still keep my eyes open for unique creche's. Like the rubber duck nativity I found last week.
