They Wrapped Him In What?

The Adoration of the Magi under our tree

They laid him in "strips of cloth" and laid him in a manger.  Say what? Since when did baby J start wearing strips of cloth?  What happened to the swaddling clothes?

I couldn't believe what I was hearing from the clergyman at the British Church the other night.  It seems that since the last time I went to a Christmas church service, a really long time ago, someone has actually been paid to asses the relative merits of swaddling clothes versus strips of cloth and decided that the former were no longer a la mode. 

Coming to think of it, I do seem to recall that as a child I had no idea what swaddling clothes were...but even still, I don't agree with the change.  I've already adapted to a Christmas in the heat and a Christmas dinner table with no turkey or meat at all for that matter (veggie in-laws).  Please don't let make me give up the swaddling clothes too.  I mean strips of cloth just sounds so plain...oh...is that the point?  'Swaddling' is de riguer amongst even posh mums these days.  Maybe they wanted to make it clear that the Virgin Mary is not one of those.

Oh well, whatever the point, we probably missed it when we gave our home-made baby Jesus a blue and gold baby wrap.  He is the centre-piece of an entire nativity scene I made with Little Bear from recycled yogurt pots.  In case you missed that, let me repeat: I hand crafted Mary, Joseph, three wise men, a shepherd and the Angel Gabriel from recycled organic yogurt pots.  And ladies and gentlemen, they stand beneath a huge, genuine-article fir tree, the likes of which you don't usually see around this neck of the woods.  While I'm at it let me add that I have already bought and wrapped all my gifts and that later today I will ice the brandy-soaked fruit cake I made back in October.

I may not have been to church for a while but I can tell you, this Christmas I have a big fat shiny halo.  Peace and love to all mum-kind.