The Three Kings...

 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  

 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with 

exceeding great joy.   

  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh....

~Matthew 2: 7-11~

Historically, on January 6th, the 3 Wisemen, Kings or Magi followed the star to give gifts to the baby Jesus. King Herod sent them to find the baby Jesus so that he could come worship the baby. In truth, King Herod wanted to kill the Messiah. The 3 Kings were named Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar and they came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts funded Mary, Joseph and Jesus flight into Egypt to escape King Herod's decree that all male children be killed in Bethlehem. The 3 Wisemen took a different route home to avoid King Herod.

When I was a child growing up we had a stained glass nativity that sat on our dining room table. My father, Jim, had brought it back from overseas when he was in the Navy. it was a wooden "A" frame with the stained glass inside. There was a light that reflected a silhouette of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Due to circumstances it has not come to be in my possession. I talked and talked about how I wanted to have this nativity set back. The first year Heather was in stained glass she made me the "A" frame for Christmas. Her teacher Mr. S stayed and let her finish after school for several days. Then he built the frame for the glass to be held by.  I have proudly displayed this year round with different treasures to showcase this most remarkable gift of love.

Magazine nativity set

I received a magazine many years ago that had a stained glass nativity set in it. Heather looked at it and decided that for her 2nd year of stained glass she would make the entire nativity set. This included several animals as well. She didn't like the 3 wisemen in the picture, but did like Mary and the Angel.  Heather spent almost the entire 1st semester working on her nativity set. Mr. S also help her buy getting specialty glass for her pieces. With the help of her teacher they redrew Mary, the Angel and found a different pattern for the wisemen. Heather proudly displayed her beautiful work for years.

Patterns for cow and sheep

Heather's favorite wiseman and her redraw of Mary

Heather's drawing for the angel, donkey and camel...she didn't do the laying down camel

When it was all finished the parts that Heather loved was the camel and the 3 wisemen. She loved the camel for the special glass that was used for the blanket. It looks like a blanket not like glass. The next favorite was the 3 wisemen. She worked very hard and was so proud of the fact that she made one gift hang from a chain from the wiseman's hand. Ironic that the wisemen traveled on camels and these two are Heather's favorite.

Since the nativity set now belongs to me, I have added the "A" frame that Heather made me years ago. It seems only fitting that it all be put together as a set now. The garland was bought by Heather and she used it for several years. She also put lights under the garland. When I put it up last year I could not find the lights that she used. So I took a set of "snowball" lights under the garland. The lights seem to glow in the stained glass very nicely. 

The entire nativity set with "A" frame-garland and lights

Notice the glass on the angel and her harp

Shepherd, a wiseman and animals...

Heather's favorite camel and wiseman

Almost the exact same angel as the picture-Heather's design

Cute, curly sheep

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him...

~Matthew 2: 9-11a~