You can't put baby Jesus in the manger till Dec. 25th, no kidding.

[Philosoraptor]

A friend of mine is a grounds keeper at a popular local restaurant, and he had to set up the annual nativity scene with life size plastic figurines. He had it all set up and the owner ran out in a tizzy about having the baby Jesus in the manger BEFORE his own birthday. She said people make this grievous mistake all the time and she would not have it and raised quite a fuss apparently.

She also complained loudly about the cats that had taken up residence in the manger's warm straw. "You can't have a cat in a manger, it's sacrilegious, and something has to be done about those cats". The cats are there to keep the rats away.

It got me to thinking that maybe the baby Jesus should be tucked discreetly under Mary's dress until December 25th, to further illustrate the illusion.

So remember, if you see a nativity scene with the baby Jesus lying there freezing in the manger before his own birthday, alert the proprietor immediately under punishment of death.

Happy Winter Solstice!