BOUNTIFUL -- Two families here admit that their favorite Christmas tradition is at times miserable, but they don't believe the season would be the same without it.
Visitors who happen by the corner of 1800 South and Orchard Drive around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday may see the two families, each with five children, posing in a live Nativity scene.
"It gets our kids an opportunity to focus on what Christmas is all about and why," said Tanya Dorius.
"I'm always looking for ways to help my kids think about the birth of Christ rather than just Santa and reindeer," said MariAnne Ashby.
The two mothers said trading roles between Mary, Joseph and the other characters in the scene amongst the two families has been fun.
Dorius said fighting the cold has made the family members look like "Michelin Men" with their bulky clothing under their costumes.
The live Nativity scene has at the corner has been a community tradition with a host of faiths participating for the last two years.
Both the members of the Dorius and the Ashby family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but they said the Catholic church still participates by donating the parking lot, and the fact that the corner where the Nativity set is put up is near several denominations sends a message of interfaith service.
Members of the community helped as the set for the scene was erected two weeks ago at the usual location.
Jacobs said he turns floodlights on the empty set each morning and night to remind commuters at that corner about the importance of the season.
"They have that visual to remind them, yes, come and see it when there are real, live people there," he said.
But because of concerns this year for the flu, participants in the event were not going to be allowed to share and borrow costumes, said organizer Kimball Jacobs, of Bountiful. This left the participation to only the two families this year.
Jacobs called the families the die-hards of the event.
"They will participate no matter what the weather is like," he said. "No matter how cold and windy it is, they are there."
"It's freezing out there," Dorius admits. But the mother said the cold adds to the experience.
"It reminds them that it's not all about the presents," she said.
Last year, the two families were so excited about the event, they both invited some cousins to participate with them. Dorius said it wasn't the same.
She said she enjoys the closeness her family and the Ashby family have developed through the event.
This year, another live nativity will be displayed also on Wednesday up the street from where the Dorius and Ashby families will be participating. Grace Baptist Church will have a live Nativity scene in the lobby at this church at 390 N. 400 East from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
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