Headless angels, beardless shepherds and dozens of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus figures with missing limbs are a common sight at this time of year on the kitchen table of Anne and Noel Tracey and their six children.
They all live in the Camphill Community at Dunshane, Co Kildare, where Advent has more to do with arts and crafts, and songs and stories celebrating the birth of Christ than with spending a small fortune on lavish presents.
The frantic production of Nativity figures gets under way each evening in the Traceys' cottage only when the two youngest members of the family - Nollaig, who turns seven at Christmas, and five-year-old Sorcha - are safely tucked into bed.
"It wouldn't be right for them to see Mary and Joseph with no hair and no arms," says Anne. "They would get upset because Mary and Joseph are very real for them - they have such reverence."
Ciuin, their 14-year-old sister, has this year been busy making angels and baby Jesuses while Taimse (12) and Dubhaltach (10) have gathered wood for the mangers. It really is a family business, with dad Noel making willow stables in the community's basketry workshop.
"The crib figures take hours and hours to make out of spun silk, wool and felt," says Anne. "But they're lovely when they're finished - they really look like people."
The Traceys' own nativity set takes pride of place on their nature table at home, while the surplus figures are sold at the Kildare Steiner Waldorf School Christmas Fair.
Camphill communities and Steiner schools - found throughout the world - are based on the teachings of German philosopher Rudolf Steiner.
Academic teaching begins at the age of seven: until then children attend kindergarten where the emphasis is on self-development largely by means of stories and arts and crafts.
The Tracey family has spent eight years in Dunshane, where there are 50 community members, including 20 adolescents with special needs.
Sorcha and Nollaig may be too young now to make the intricate crib figures, but the whole family enjoys making beautiful candles, paper stars and gingerbread biscuits cut into various Christmas shapes. They also help make a wreath with candles, symbolising Christ's immortality and everlasting light.
"We usually make the wreath with yew which is absolutely wonderful because it doesn't shed needles and it stays green," says Anne. "We keep it in the middle of our kitchen table and light a candle every meal-time."
Candles, stars and light play an important part in the family's Advent crafts. "It's all about lighting up the winter darkness and leading towards the light of Christmas - to Christ's light, the light of the world. The whole of Advent is about preparing to welcome the Christ-child," Anne says.
As usual, the Traceys will celebrate Christmas with their friends in the Camphill Community. This year there will be added excitement with the return home of eldest daughter, Julie (17), who is on a gap year in Germany.
Following a joyful reunion, they will attend the community's tree-lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The Christmas tree always has 33 candles - three red, symbolising Christ's three years of ministry, and 30 white for the remainder of His time on earth.
Later in the evening, they will attend another service that will end on the stroke of midnight, when Christmas Day will be rung in with handbells.
Following a children's service on Christmas morning, Anne will head to the kitchen to prepare roast potatoes for the community dinner.
Peeling potatoes for 50 people is unlikely to daunt her cheerful spirit: "It is very exciting and very rich celebrating Christmas here," she says. "I greatly look forward to it. And I often wonder what we did before we joined the community!"
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