I’m thankful for the gift of traditions. Every Thanksgiving, after the dishes are cleaned and put away, we drive into downtown Pittsburgh to enjoy the city’s spectacular holiday decorations; and the Pittsburgh Crèche (nativity scene) is always a highlight! It is the only authorized replica of the Crèche displayed at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The Pittsburgh Crèche was constructed in 1999 from Italian architect Umberto Mezzana’s plans for the original. It is 64 feet wide, 42 feet high, 36 feet long, and weighs approximately 66,000 pounds! The Italian sculptor of the original 20 human figures, Pietro Simonelli, was hired to recreate the larger-than-life characters for the Pittsburgh Crèche. A magical awe and peace overcomes those in the plaza viewing the Crèche as hearts warm with the true meaning of the upcoming holiday season. I’m thankful for the gift of traditions, indeed. Especially this one.
I’m dedicating November to giving thanks! For years, I’ve kept a gratitude journal in which I jot down things that I’m thankful for. During this month when we’ll celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I’m going to take my gratitude for God’s good gifts one step further by photographing a particularly meaningful gift each day for my 365 project! I've always viewed the subjects of my images as gifts, but I'm looking forward to this month of intentionally labeling them as such. This will enable me to spend a bit more time dwelling on God's goodness and offering the thanks that He deserves. If anyone would like to join me in this celebration of grace, please do! I’ll be tagging my images: all-is-grace.
@eyesmile Thank you so much, Gena! I'm so happy that you enjoyed my celebration of grace. I really appreciate your interest and all of your kind comments and favs!
Seeing this scene with it's larger-than-life individuals would really give one the sense of 'being there' for that precious event. Thanks for sharing this.
@lyndemc Indeed, the crèche does give one a sense of being there! This is just a small portion of the breathtaking display. It sits at the base of the massive, 64-story skyscraper known as the U.S. Steel Tower where it, not the skyscraper, awes.
Wow, that's a powerful message about giving thanks for the gifts of God and your dedication. Will certainly bear this in mind with the daily photo diary. Look forward to following your example.
@jaffacakes Thank you for stopping by and commenting on my project, Geraldine! I appreciate your kind words so much, and I wish you the best with your 365 project. Have fun! :-)
@lisamccloskey Thank you oh-so-much! Wow, that's a pretty wreath! And that's a lot of roses! I also like the idea of the rolled flower gift toppers made from recycled book pages mentioned in the article. Thank you again for providing the link! So kind of you, Lisa!
@linnypinny Thank you so much for your comment and fav of my Pittsburgh Crèche image. I wish I could have fit the entire display into the frame. It's really a sight to behold!
Thank you for your wonderful compliment on my photos!
P.S. I really love your paper roses. :-)
:-)