The 12th Annual Nativity and Music Festival Invites the Christmas Spirit - Kingwood
The 12th Annual Nativity and Music Festival Invites the Christmas Spirit - Kingwood
By: Eva Armendariz
Published: Nov 22, 2009, 9:00am
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Contributed by members of the community from their personal collections, the nativities, in all sizes and materials, vary from handcrafted sets by local artists to collector’s items gathered from all over the world.
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Hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 12th Annual Nativity and Music Festival will be held Dec. 4-5 from 1 to 9 p.m., at the church building at 4021 Deerbrook Drive in Kingwood. The event is free to the public.
"For 12 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has presented the gift of the Nativity Exhibit and Music Festival to the community,” said Christine Brown, director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ. “We invite community families to begin the holiday season with a visit to the exhibit to set the tone for the true meaning of Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ."
Contributed by members of the community from their personal collections, the nativities, in all sizes and materials, vary from handcrafted sets by local artists to collector’s items gathered from all over the world.
“Each country interprets the nativity scene in its own way,” said Randie Krogel, a Kingwood resident. “The most obvious variation is in the materials used to make the nativities [crèches], such as ebony for African crèches or brightly colored tin for those crafted in Mexico. Expect to find variations reflecting the climate of the country of origin, such as palm trees, tropical nativities or the Inuit nativity with all the characters dressed in animal skins and the baby Jesus lying on a sled.”
Local choirs, orchestras and musicians from Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Crosby, Huffman, Spring and The Woodlands are scheduled to perform throughout the event, enhancing the holiday atmosphere. “Many of the music groups welcome the opportunity to perform a holiday concert in the beautiful surroundings created by the crèche sets,” Brown said.
The Atascocita High School Strolling Strings, the Pine Forest 5th Grade Honor Choir, the Eagle Springs Elementary Choir and the Kingwood High School Chamber II Orchestra are a small sampling of the multitude of performers who will share their gift of music. Performances will be on the hour Friday and Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m.
“The Nativities and Music Festival is an annual event for our family, much like ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet,” said John Heimburger, a retired pilot from Humble who has attended the Nativity for 11 years. “It puts us in the right frame of mind to celebrate Christ's birth, balancing the overflow of conventional holiday pressures with the true and everlasting meaning of Christmas."
Visitors have the opportunity to recreate and capture the memorable nativity scene in the Manger Room, where families can pose in a life-size nativity for a complimentary photo dressed as Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, or angels.
“The Nativity exhibit is absolutely spectacular!” said Jamie Smith, a young mother of two from Humble. “Each year, it’s a highlight for our family that helps us focus on Christ for the Christmas season. There are lots fun activities for the kids where they can learn more about the Savior, eat cookies and dress up to take pictures in the stable – which is our favorite. The nativity scenes from all over the world are beautiful to look at, but they also remind me of how important Christ is in my life and for people everywhere. It’s a fun and spiritual night that is unforgettable!”
“This is clearly a place to escape to feel the spirit of the Season of Christ's birth and all the joy that brings into our lives,” said Kathy Wooters, a Kingwood resident.
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