Most people want to keep the feeling of Christmas alive year round. For Kris Rogen, once she started collecting Nativity sets, this became a reality.
"It really is Christmas year round in our house," said her daughter, Melissa Rogen.
That is because Kris has over 700 Nativity scenes on display in her rural home outside of Garretson, many of which stay on display all year round.
"When my husband and I were younger, he was always getting me the same gift for occasions," Kris said. "I realized that I needed to start collecting something." She decided to start collecting Nativity scenes. She already had one. When she was in High School, her brother made her the first Nativity she owned, a wooden puzzle where all the pieces fit together. After that decision, her family started contributing to her collection.
"My son Zach made this one out of tools," she said, pulling down one scene that was made from wrenches and screws. Her parents have given her many sets, picked up while traveling to different places. She has sets from all over the world, such as Peru and India. Some were acquired from Christmas in the Attic, a former business in Garretson that was popular with travelers. (Continued on Page 2 of the online edition)
