Having finished the Stations of the Cross I have been casting about for another magnum opus to follow them. I am therefore toying with the idea of Stations of the Nativity and it looks as if ideas for a further 8 panels, to run through Advent to the Epiphany, will displace any Christmas cards but give me plenty of material for the years ahead!

Off the top of my head they might go something like this: 1. The Annunciation. 5. Jesus presented in the Temple. 2. The Census and the Star. 6. The Flight to Egypt. 3. Jesus is born. 7. Herod's rage 4. The Magi and the Shepherds. 8. Boyhood. 5. Many of these will feature on some of the Christmas cards you might receive and certainly I shall look to the old masters for their drawing and treatment of the subject as one source of inspiration. I suspect doing them as one series is a fresh expression in itself. If you look at the tabulation of subject matter above, drawn from across the gospels, it appears that the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Luke) does not reconcile with the Flight to Egypt (Matthew). There are no nativity references in either Mark or John, so it is up to the reader and in this case the artist to make sense of it all. However my work will not hinge on a calendar! Years ago I did a maquette in bronze of the Holy Family with Mary on a donkey but sadly it was stolen from a gallery in Manchester. I did get three other pieces back five years later, but that was a one off which had been modelled direct in wax.

What else is Christmas about? Sadly many people take the attitude that Christmas is just for kids. In doing so they miss the whole point. Jesus calls us to be like children to enter the Kingdom of God so here is our chance. Then it becomes a small step to consider his human birth, our spiritual birth drawing on the same symbolism as natural childbirth, and ourselves as children of God once more. Being as children means being wholehearted about life and God, enjoying the wonder and having to take on trust things that are beyond us. If we say Christmas is just for kids then we are likely to be lost in the material world and spending far too much for - what? There is indeed a call by some circles to give less but to give what is really worthwhile so we rise above consumerism and make an impact with gifts that are memorable.

Christmas trees this year may be in short supply but there are many other symbols we can draw on to express and brighten the season. Oh, by the way The Census and Star is not a pub although it has all the ingredients of the season! May the chancellor be magnanimous, the sky crisp and clear with stars and your faith generous and bright. Best wishes, Toddy