In the Christian tradition, the birth of Jesus, the crucifiction, and the resurrection are the fundamental elements on which a believer establishes a relationship with God. According to the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus was born to his mother, Mary, a virgin, and to his earthly father, Joseph. Jesus is considered the Son of God. Although Jesus is divine, he was born as a human being to fulfill Old Testament prophecies about a coming Savior. The birth of the Son of God in the lowly setting of a stable is a compelling narrative. The story of the birth of Christ has been loved by many generations of Christians.

The New Testament begins with four gospels which tell the story of the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus Christ. The story of the nativity is found in Matthew 1:18 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1&version=NLT through 2:12 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2&version=NLT and Luke 2:1-20 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%202&version=NLT. In contrast, Mark and John begin with the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

Different details of the story of Jesus' birth appear in Matthew and Luke. For example, Matthew recounts the three wise men following a star in the east that leads them to the Holy Family in the stable. The wise men worship the baby Jesus and present him with lavish gifts. In contrast, Luke recounts the shepherds tending their flocks outside Bethlehem and being told of the birth of Jesus by heavenly angels. After hearing the good news, the shepherds run into town to worship Jesus. The shepherds are not mentioned in Matthew, and the wise men are not mentioned in Luke. Because the stories of the wise men and the shepherds are not necessarily inconsistent, most Christians believe that both groups visited Jesus at different times. http://theflamingheretic.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/genealogy-of-jesus-in-matthew/ Some scholars, however, interpret the two accounts as two different and irreconcilable myths that inject uncertainty as to whether, when, and where Jesus was born. http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bible/birth.shtml.

The Old Testament contains many prophesies of the coming birth of a savior and king. For example, Isaiah 9:6-7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%209:6-7&version=NLT refers to the birth of a son who will one day be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/isaiah.htm Isaiah 7:14 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%207:14&version=NLT speaks of the virgin birth, and Micah 5:2 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%205:2&version=NLT speaks of the birth occurring in Bethlehem. Christians believe that the prophesies were fulfilled by the birth of Jesus as told in Matthew and Luke. http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/micah.htm

The story of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, also called the Christmas Story, has been widely debated, and beloved by Christians, for centuries. Did the story happen as told in the Bible or is it a myth concocted to reinforce the divinity of Jesus Christ. Most believers either accept the literal account or overlook certain inexplicable parts such as the virgin birth. http://www.scribd.com/doc/1617/Is-The-Bible-True Others point to inconsistencies, scientific impossibilities, and contradictions to label the story as a myth that appeared almost a century after the birth of Jesus. http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_lib.htm Leaving the controversy aside, here is the traditional story of the birth of Christ Jesus. http://www.whychristmas.com/story/the_christmas_story.shtml

Mary and Joseph were engaged to become married when their lives – and the rest of the world -- were changed forever. Mary was visited by an Angel, who informed her that she had been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. While most young women would have been incredulous, Mary's faith was such that she accepted God's will for her without asking a single question. Later, Joseph had a dream in which an angel told Joseph to continue with his plans to marry Mary.

Jesus' birth was not far away when Roman Emperor Augustus ordered all people of Judea to return to their places of birth for the taking of a census. Joseph and his family were from Bethlehem, so Joseph and Mary began their long journey, with Mary riding a donkey and Joseph walking beside her. The trip was especially difficult for Mary, who was in the later stages of her pregnancy. While in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor and they desperately needed a place to stay. The inn where they stopped was full, but the innkeeper offered to let them stay in the stable. It was there where Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus. Mary wrapped Jesus in "swaddling clothes" and placed him in a manger for a crib. So, one of the lowliest places became the sacred birthplace of the King of Kings.

Not far outside of town, shepherds were tending their flocks, anticipating another boring night in the hills. An angel suddenly appeared, almost scaring the shepherds to death. After the angel announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds, a group of angels appeared and sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace to everyone on earth." After hearing the good news, the shepherds hurried into town to visit Jesus. When the shepherds saw the baby Jesus, they bowed their heads and worshipped Him. Then they went throughout the town to spread the good news to others.

Three wise men saw a new star in the eastern sky and, based on their studies, believed that it announced the birth of a great king. In Jerusalem, the wise men met with Herod, the King of Judea, who was furious to hear of a potential rival. Herod ordered the wise men to visit the infant and report back to him. Although Herod pretended to have concern for the baby, he actually wanted to locate Jesus in order to kill him. Riding their camels, the wise men followed the star in the eastern sky until it stopped over the stable where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were staying. They worshipped Jesus and presented him with gifts of gold, franckincense, and myrrh. God warned the wise men of Herod's evil intentions in a dream, so they returned to their homes using a different route.

Jesus' birth, often referred to as the Nativity, is such a compelling story and so seminal to Christianity that it has been depicted in art and sculpture for generations. A Nativity set is a group of figurines that depicts the Christmas Story. The fist Nativity scene was made by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. http://ct.dio.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1782:nativity-festival-witnesses-christmas-around-the-world&catid=18:diocesan-life&Itemid=49 Nativity scenes remind people that the true focus of Christmas should be on the birth of Christ and not on the commercial and secular aspects that are so prevalent.http://www.umcofmacedonia.org/umc/website/public/home.asp

Nativity scenes contain the traditional figures from the Nativity. They can be as small as the Holy Family -- Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. They usually contain the Holy Family, an angel, the shepherds, some sheep, the donkey and ox in the stable, the three wisemen, and a stable. They can also be elaborate, such as those which not only depict the central characters but also include other relevant pieces. Examples of extra pieces are the innkeeper, the camels of the wisemen, additional angels, a little drummer boy, and the star.

Nativity scenes are made of various materials. China, resin, and wood-carved scenes are common. Such scenes are brought out each Christmas to become part of a family's tradition of celebrating the season. Some display a Nativity scene all year round as a reminder of God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Large sets can be put in a yard and lighted as a display. A living Nativity is an actual enactment in which individuals play the various characters. http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=31607 Churches often present living Nativities during the Christmas season, either inside the church or outside on the church grounds to attract passersby. http://outdoornativityscene.org/outdoor-nativity-scene-christmas/ Some feature an actual baby and live animals. Living Nativities can be very inspiring because they bring the story of the birth of Jesus to life.

If a Nativity scene is safe for children to handle, it can be used to teach the Christmas Story to children. They can enact the entire story by moving the figures themselves. Many children's books are also available that tell the Christmas Story in a simple way that is understandable to children.

The display of the Nativity scene by public entities, such as at a courthouse, capitol building, or school, has become the subject of much controversy. http://www.detnews.com/article/20091027/METRO03/910270347/1041/lifestyle04/Macomb-County-Nativity-scene-goes-to-court The issue here is the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, which prohibits the government from promoting any one religion over another one. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been the standard bearer for removing Nativity scenes from public properties. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308816,00.html The ACLU's efforts are opposed by conservative Christians, who view the banning of Nativity scenes on public property as government interference with their practice of religion and free speech.

Many courts have held that the display of Nativity scenes by government institutions is the establishment of religion contrary to the constitution. Nativity scenes which have been enjoyed by communities for years have had to be removed from public properties.http://www.witf.org/news/regional-and-state/2578-chambersburg-nativity-scene-has-new-home As an alternative, some communities allow Jews, atheists, and other religious groups to set up their displays with a Nativity scene on the same public space or require that secular elements of Christmas, such as Santa Claus or a Christmas tree, be placed on display along with the Nativity scene.