Remembering Christmas
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The holiday season has become one big to-do list. There are presents to buy and wrap, decorations to put up, holiday goodies to prepare, parties to host and attend, etc. It’s easy to see how the real meaning of Christmas might get lost in the shuffle.
Not so for Jeanette Baldwin. Throughout her home, she has 53 reminders.
Baldwin collects nativities, a hobby that began in 1997 when she, twin sister Janice Jones and brother Michael Wisman sold their West Virginia family homestead and brought home the 1930s-era nativity from her childhood.
“The nativity is what it is all about this time of the year — the birth of Christ,” said Baldwin, who now displays it on a bookshelf in her living room. “We had a two-bedroom house in Tornado, W.Va., and this nativity sat on the mantel every Christmas.”
She was reminded of the nativity when her sister, who still lives in Tornado, told Baldwin about the nativity night hosted by the church she attended as a girl and where she and husband Jim were married 50 years ago.
“Even though we don’t live there anymore, because I have mother and daddy’s nativity I was inspired to start collecting them.”
From that one nativity has grown an affection for the traditional holiday decoration.
Most of Baldwin’s nativities were gifts from family and friends. Her mother, the late Gladys Wisman, gave her several, including the one that graces the Baldwin living room mantel. It’s joined by several others in this room alone, with 20 or so housed in a curio cabinet. Baldwin has them in most every room of the house, including the master bath.
The 53 nativities vary in size and style — from a pewter pin Baldwin wears on her sweater to a couple that stand about 4 feet tall; from simple hand-carved wooden ones to majestic jewel-toned creations. About half of the nativities are music boxes, many from her grandchildren. But all have some special significance.
Baldwin has one for each of her three sons, Jubby, Jeff and Jonathan, and for all five grandchildren. On the bottom of each nativity, she writes the name of the giver and the date.
“This one,” began Baldwin as she opened the curio cabinet, “was in my husband’s hospital room three years ago as he was preparing for his fourth brain surgery. The nativities were so humbling, along with the colored lights and pictures the grandchildren made for his room.”
The crèche on the kitchen table goes with the three wise men from her son and daughter-in-law. Friend Sandy Hammond sent Baldwin the tiny nativity found in a crystal ball hanging above the town of Bethlehem. Two she bought herself in memory of her late sister-in-law, Karen Wisman, and niece Chrissy Wisman, both of whom died of cancer.
Last year, husband Jim gave her the majestic nativity that graces the dining room table. Baldwin lovingly touches the beautiful carved nativity her husband recently gave her as inspiration for a current little bump in their lives. In fact, she caresses each nativity as she talks about how it came into her possession.
“All we have is what we give away,” concluded Baldwin, who loves to share her Christmas legacy with friends and family, as well.
Not so for Jeanette Baldwin. Throughout her home, she has 53 reminders.
Baldwin collects nativities, a hobby that began in 1997 when she, twin sister Janice Jones and brother Michael Wisman sold their West Virginia family homestead and brought home the 1930s-era nativity from her childhood.
“The nativity is what it is all about this time of the year — the birth of Christ,” said Baldwin, who now displays it on a bookshelf in her living room. “We had a two-bedroom house in Tornado, W.Va., and this nativity sat on the mantel every Christmas.”
She was reminded of the nativity when her sister, who still lives in Tornado, told Baldwin about the nativity night hosted by the church she attended as a girl and where she and husband Jim were married 50 years ago.
“Even though we don’t live there anymore, because I have mother and daddy’s nativity I was inspired to start collecting them.”
From that one nativity has grown an affection for the traditional holiday decoration.
Most of Baldwin’s nativities were gifts from family and friends. Her mother, the late Gladys Wisman, gave her several, including the one that graces the Baldwin living room mantel. It’s joined by several others in this room alone, with 20 or so housed in a curio cabinet. Baldwin has them in most every room of the house, including the master bath.
The 53 nativities vary in size and style — from a pewter pin Baldwin wears on her sweater to a couple that stand about 4 feet tall; from simple hand-carved wooden ones to majestic jewel-toned creations. About half of the nativities are music boxes, many from her grandchildren. But all have some special significance.
Baldwin has one for each of her three sons, Jubby, Jeff and Jonathan, and for all five grandchildren. On the bottom of each nativity, she writes the name of the giver and the date.
“This one,” began Baldwin as she opened the curio cabinet, “was in my husband’s hospital room three years ago as he was preparing for his fourth brain surgery. The nativities were so humbling, along with the colored lights and pictures the grandchildren made for his room.”
The crèche on the kitchen table goes with the three wise men from her son and daughter-in-law. Friend Sandy Hammond sent Baldwin the tiny nativity found in a crystal ball hanging above the town of Bethlehem. Two she bought herself in memory of her late sister-in-law, Karen Wisman, and niece Chrissy Wisman, both of whom died of cancer.
Last year, husband Jim gave her the majestic nativity that graces the dining room table. Baldwin lovingly touches the beautiful carved nativity her husband recently gave her as inspiration for a current little bump in their lives. In fact, she caresses each nativity as she talks about how it came into her possession.
“All we have is what we give away,” concluded Baldwin, who loves to share her Christmas legacy with friends and family, as well.
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