College Students Re-enact “Live” Crèche Scene for Victorian Christmas
Wednesday Dec 7th, 2011


Years ago, long before the bombardment of shopping malls, computers, social media, imitation Christmas trees, and noisy revelers looking for the nearest pub, the “live” crèche was an immutable part of Christmas in small villages across America.

On Wednesday night, December 7, 2011, Ananda College of Living Wisdom students will offer a “live” and silent crèche (nativity) scene in downtown Nevada City, CA, as part of the annual Victorian Christmas entry by Ananda Village. The crèche scene will include 10 Ananda College students ages 18-28 performing the silent crèche as Mary & Joseph, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Kings. Costumes for the event are provided courtesy of Maghi Weber at the Ananda Costume Shop.

Due to the cold winter nights and actors needing to be motionless, the live crèche will only take place from 7:00-7:30 pm in front of Yabobo retail store, located at 107 N. Pine Street in Nevada City, CA. Ananda Village Victorian Singers, who have been performing annually at Victorian Christmas since its inception, will sing Christmas Carols alongside the silent crèche during the 30 minute vignette.

The December 7th crèche is a live Christmas card from the college to the local community, portraying the inner meaning of Christmas—the silent love of Christ that exists in all hearts. The December 7th event signifies the beginning of a variety of multi-cultural holiday celebrations observed by the college. In keeping with honoring the wisdom traditions of the world, the college has offered Jewish Hanukah celebrations, an African holiday celebration, an 8-hour meditation, and a New Year’s Eve Vedic Fire Ceremony for chanting both the Gayatri Mantra and the Mahamritunjaya Mantra 108 times.

Inspired by the Wisdom Traditions of the world, Ananda College of Living Wisdom is a non-profit college providing a distinctive, student-centered liberal arts academic environment that encourages and supports spiritual growth and inquiry. Students who attend the college come from a variety of spiritual backgrounds including Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, etc. The college is approved by the State of California to offer A.A. and B.A. degrees and also has approval from the VA for G.I. Bill applicants in specific certificate programs.

Students earn their degrees while living in an ashram community that offers opportunities to experience yogic living, healthy vegetarian meals, and daily meditation and yoga in a substance-free environment. Students also have the opportunity to experience sustainable and simple living in a remote off-the-grid campus located in a natural setting surrounded by the ‘Inimin Forest. The campus is located in the Yuba Watershed along the North San Juan Ridge about 20 miles north east of Nevada City, CA.






live creche

“live” crèche



Creche with Victorian singers

Crèche with Victorian singers