Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.’ — Eric Sevareid
Nativity scenes are visible on lawns and locations throughout the Hood River Valley, visual depictions of what the Christmas season is about: The celebration of the birth of Christ. Spiritual beliefs in this community, as with any, cover the spectrum. The manger scene, as it is also known, carries varying weight depending on individual perspectives, but the scenes stand as gentle reminders of the essential story behind the multi-faceted observance we call Christmastime. Pastor Noel Allen and his wife, Nora, of Beaverton, recently blessed Hood River with a display of hundreds of nativity scenes they have collected over the years: Large and tiny, made of paper and wood, fabric, tile, lace, clay, ceramics, glass, even old Coke cans, they reflected the diverse expressions of the Christ birth from dozens of cultures around the globe. Hood River Valley Christian Church hosted the exhibit, which will be at a larger venue in Portland in 2020, making the Allens’ visit all the more special.
The larger community manger scenes mentioned above will be around for at least a few more days; see the photo compilation of the local nativities on page A8, and take your own tour. At Valley Christian, along with their nativity scenes, the Allens exhibited Advent calendars they had collected over the years: Those inventions equipped with 24 little doors you open up each day of Christian advent to find a different scene, with a small figure, image or even a piece of chocolate. Along with the nativities at the exhibit, the church had a stack of paper printed with something called “Reverse Advent Calendar.” Modestly presented, it’s a wonderful way to share the Christmas spirit. The reverse Advent calendar has been around a few years, but well below the holiday radar. It involves buying a basic food item each day and keeping it until Christmas to benefit those in need. The reverse Advent calendar deserves a place in the range of ways our culture celebrates this season, because it places us in a daily act of giving for nearly a month before Christmas, and is something a family can participate in together to adopt or expand on that daily attitude of generosity. Here’s how it works: Each day, add an item to a box. On Christmas Eve, donate the contents to a food bank. While it is true that, logistically, local food banks provide goods to clients in a “market” style setting, a “reverse Advent” box of food is a welcome idea with multiple ways of carrying it out. For example, the items below encompass most of the staples that best serve the food banks; buy them and make a point of giving them to the food bank with the knowledge that ultimately they are gifts someone in need will greatly benefit from. Or, start the advent calendar on Thanksgiving, meaning the Reverse Advent box is ready to go prior to Christmas, when food banks deliver them. It may be too late to start for this year, but as an idea for future giving, here’s the reverse Advent list: Dec. 1: Box of cereal Dec. 2: Peanut butter Dec. 3: Stuffing mix Dec. 4: Boxed potatoes Dec. 5: Macaroni and cheese Dec. 6: Canned fruit Dec. 7: Canned tomatoes Dec. 8: Canned tuna Dec. 9: Dessert mix Dec. 10: Jar of applesauce Dec. 11: Canned sweet potatoes Dec. 12: Cranberry sauce Dec. 13: Canned beans Dec. 14: Box of crackers Dec. 15: Package of rice Dec. 16: Package of oatmeal Dec. 17: Package of pasta Dec. 18: Spaghetti sauce Dec. 19: Chicken noodle soup Dec. 20: Tomato soup Dec. 21: Can of corn Dec. 22: Can of mixed vegetables Dec. 23: Can of carrots Dec. 24: Can of green beans
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