Every family has its Christmas traditions. It is the same with the McBride household, where there are many traditions, but one in particular has an interesting story.
Every year in December, now 95-year-old Jean McBride of Charleston carefully unpacks a treasured Christmas decoration they have had since 1956.
It is a foldable cardboard Nativity scene complete with a barn, manger, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, wise men and animals.
This manger scene was originally given to Edward and Jean McBride in 1956 by the W.W. Gresham Oil/ Propane Company in Indianola as a Christmas customer appreciation gift. They gave them out to all their customers that year.
Each December, Jean carefully removes the Nativity set from the original box, unfolds it and sets it up. Each piece is perfectly preserved. It is carefully arranged where it occupies a place of honor in their den for all to admire.
It is amazing that a fragile cardboard decoration could survive 65 years and be such an important part of the McBride holiday family tradition. I’m sure the Gresham Oil Company would be pleased to know that was the gift that keeps on giving.
Gary McBride is the son of Jean McBride, who lives on state Highway 32 between Charleston and Oakland.
