Dozens gather for ‘living’ Nativity in Santa Rosa

Nearly all was quiet throughout Santa Rosa Sunday evening with most businesses closed for Christmas Eve and traffic light save for those attending churches to celebrate the coming holiday.

In one neighborhood the sound of a bleating lamb and shrieking children marked the arrival of the annual “living” Nativity at the First Presbyterian Church on Pacific Avenue.

Dozens of church members and neighbors alike gathered around a fenced-off Nativity scene where children dressed as shepherds and wise men shared space with sheep, cows, donkeys and a chicken.

“This gives kids a chance to experience the birth of Jesus in a very tactile way,” said Allie Shoulders, who organized the living Nativity. “We’ve been doing this since at least 1984 when I started coming here.”

The October fires, which killed 24 people and destroyed 5,100 homes in Sonoma County, loom over almost every aspect of civic life in Santa Rosa and the First Presbyterian Church is no different.

Pastor Dale Flowers said 51 of its families and 10 preschool families lost their homes in the wildfires.

“You realize so much more the intangible gifts we have after a tragedy like that,” Flowers said.

Joe Forbes stood over his three sons as they marveled at a chicken standing on the back of JR, a 19-year-old donkey who wasn’t bothered by the bird. Bradley Forbes, just under 2 years old, tightly grabbed the metal wire of the fence, giggling at the sight.

Forbes’ son James, 6, went to preschool at the Presbyterian Church where his other son Cal, 4, is currently a student, but it’s the first time the family has attended the Nativity event.

The Forbeses lost their Coffey Park home in the fire, but got “lucky” and found another place to stay in Santa Rosa, Forbes said.

“A lot of families are going through the same thing so there’s lots of support,” he said. “We’re all starting new routines and making new traditions, like this.”

Zackery Woods, 11, and his brother Landon, 4, were dressed as wise men in robes and crowns bearing gifts of frankincense and myrrh at the Nativity, two of the several children dressing up and presenting gifts to baby Jesus.

Every animal and actor in the Nativity was alive, except one: The “babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger,” as it says in Luke 2:12, was a doll.

For the past four years Zackery Woods has dressed up for the “living” Nativity. For him it’s a big part of Christmas. But while petting animals and dressing up was fun, he was most looking forward to the possibility superhero Legos would be underneath the Christmas tree this morning.