By Becky Nichols
Nichols is executive director of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library

As a child, I can remember the little box in the upper right or left hand page of the newspaper. It counted down the shopping days until Christmas. I was riveted with excitement at the passing of each day that led to the dawning of the 25th.

I suppose everyone gets a little lost in the memories of Christmases past. The other day as I was putting out the old nativity scene, I realized that I was repeating a long standing history of the first step of Christmas decorating.

The crèche went on the front hall table in my childhood home on Mallory Drive. It started the season and ended the season. Its arrival signaled the first evidence of Advent and its departure was our last reluctant move to realize that Christmas was over.

When the lid on the manger scene box was opened, it was as if angels with tiny trumpets blew their horns! Out came the ancient travelers to Bethlehem. Again their annual play began.

Each figure was wrapped in the softest tissue paper ever. It was paper worn thin by the years. The baby was first. His sweet expression just melted my insides. It still does —almost 68 years later.

He assumes the center spot with His hands outstretched to the world. Joseph looks older every year and instead of his original staff, he now holds a piece of pine straw that slips right into his strong hand. He and Mary kneel by the baby as the animals join them. The lambs, the cow and a tiny donkey all gather close.

One year, I found a leftover lamb in the children’s department. It was one of those small Fisher Price figures — a little bitty thing with only three legs. Feeling confident that all lambs and people were welcome in the manger, I brought it home and placed it right snug next to Jesus. It stands out but has found its permanent home fully accepted.

The shepherds come with their various ailments. One has no arm and the other has a very wobbly head that years of glue have not fully repaired. Still they line up as nobly as kings in a court. They looked harried as if the past year has been stressful and long.

And then the wise men arrive along with their camels.

As a child, I played with these figures as if they were toys in my room. I would line them up, bring them to the manger and place them in new positions each day. I absolutely loved them.

Christmas memories surround us all these days as we relive and rethink and remember.

No one has captured Christmas senses better than author Ferrol Sams. He wrote in his wonderful book, “Christmas Gift” about the remembrances he had of grandparents and family.

Christmas is every bit of what we remember and more important it is that which is yet to come in 2016.

May God bless us everyone!