This week, at least 12 residents of Santa Clarita, California discovered something missing from the nativity scenes they had put up in their front yards--the baby Jesus. In place of the baby, according to Los Angeles' KNBC News, the thieves left a note that read, "Do not worry for baby Jesus is not gone, yet he is just not born, yet."
The statues were indeed not gone, but instead were placed at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary at the nearby Our Lady of Perpetual Help church, baffling Msgr. Paul Montoya. "I'm not too sure if it's a young person's prank. We're not sure why they would do this," he said.
Perhaps the thieves were trying to reinforce the practice among many Catholics of not putting baby Jesus into the manger until the day of his birth, Christmas Eve?
Please feel free to share your opinion on when baby Jesus should be placed in the manger.
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I saw something about this a year or two ago and although I'm not a Christian I think it makes perfect sense to leave the Christ Child out until Christmas Day.