For the holiday season this year, I've created a special meditation in the Themes of Faith section, bringing together the sights and sounds of Christmas. Before the Wonder of This Night presents an international assortment of manger scenes from the Sacred Art Pilgrim creche collection alongside the texts of much-loved anthems, hymns, and carols from around the world celebrating the birth of Christ. The creche display features Nativity sets and scenes by artisans from twelve countries on six continents, ranging from an Australian Aboriginal ochre painting on eucalyptus tree bark to a minimalist colored wood block Nativity set from British Industrial Designer Sebastian Bergne. There are painted wooden figurines by Indian toy-makers from Varanasi, the holiest of Hindu pilgrimage sites; a five-layered nesting doll from Russia; a beautifully-grained beech “wood book” from Bavaria (above), and a Thai Celadon ceramic set where a Buddhist deva takes the place of the guardian angel by the manger. The songs of Christmas include a 4th century Advent anthem from St. Ambrose of Milan, the 12th century Irish Wexford Carol, a Reformation-era hymn by Martin Luther, the traditional Song to Ask for Shelter from Mexican holiday pageants, and the rousing contemporary Nigerian carol, Bethlehem. To enhance your enjoyment of the images and lyrics, you can link to You Tube performances of these seasonal sacred songs by clicking on their titles. Best wishes from the Sacred Art Pilgrim for a peaceful Christmas and a hope-filled New Year! (John Kohan)