Berlin Live Nativity goes old-school for Christmas
The Berlin Nativity Parade on Friday, Nov. 29 will feature plenty of live animals, courtesy of The Farm in Walnut Creek, including camels being led by the shepherds.
What began as a simple community moment of gratitude and faith following Thanksgiving Day has turned into something much larger and highly anticipated than the Berlin Main Street Merchants could have ever expected.
The public is invited to attend the annual Live Nativity Parade in Berlin on Friday, Nov. 29 at 5:45 p.m., when regardless of the weather following Thanksgiving Day, people from far and near will commune together to celebrate the coming Christmas season when an infant child was born and the timeless story of hope, love and faith began.
The event has developed into something that is circled by many, something not to be missed where people from outside of Ohio are as likely to show up as those close to home because of the meaning behind the event, which is void of the consumer style of Christmas and Santa Claus and focuses more on the true meaning of the season of Christmas.
Alana Enriquez of Sheiyah Market helps spearhead the event, and she said from its inception it was designed to celebrate the birth of Christ rather than to be about Santa, gifts and the many other aspects of the holiday season that seem to grab the attention of people.
In other words it is an old-school celebration of faith and love centering on the birth of Jesus, focusing the community’s dedication to faith in their lives.
“This is definitely one of my favorite events,” Enriquez said. “There’s something very nostalgic about it because it’s such a pure celebration of what Christmas should be all about. I remember one year when it snowed so beautifully and the candlelighting service was so cozy and warm that it created this really beautiful picture.”
Enriquez has literally grown up with the parade, serving as an angel in her younger years.
Visitors will bask in the glow of a candlelighting service where candles light up the evening sky in downtown Berlin along with vintage Christmas carols that sound out through the night air. The annual reading of the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus is sure to touch the hearts of those in attendance while the parade featuring live animals will include camels, sheep, oxen and lambs from The Farm in Walnut Creek. In addition, the parade will be filled with angels, shepherds, carolers on hay wagons and more, walking along Berlin Main Street between Sheiyah Market and the Berlin Square.
“It’s all about celebrating the birth of Jesus, the reason we celebrate Christmas,” said Gary Yoder, Berlin Main Street Merchants president. “It’s a special experience for all who attend.”
Yoder said the live animals are always a treat for the kids and those visiting the area who may not experience having animals parading around the fields on a regular basis.
“There’s a certain authenticity that comes with this event,” Yoder said.
He also said it is neat to see the way the merchants and other volunteers come together to make it something magical, noting the afternoon is filled with volunteers placing luminaria along the parade route.
“It’s always inspiring to see everyone get so involved in creating something that people will remember and want to return to every year,” Yoder said.
Enriquez agreed, saying watching the way the community and the many volunteers dive into the event is heartwarming.
“The generosity we see in this parade year after year is amazing,” she said. “I know for a lot of people, this kind of kicks off the Christmas season, and it’s inspiring to sit back and watch everything take shape, knowing that it is all about the Gospel and the story of the birth of Jesus.
“It perfectly captures the true spirit of Christmas. That’s why people keep coming back year after to year, to experience that joy and sense of community and peace that surrounds the entire event.”
Operation Christmas Child representatives will once again be set up with a table on both sides of Main Street, serving hot chocolate and cookies. Grace Church Pastor Larry Kaufman will read the Christmas story surrounding the birth of Jesus, and Jeff Polen will lead in the singing of carols in what should once again be a heartwarming gathering created for family, friends, community and visitors to celebrate the true heart of Christmas.