I bet Mary had to source her own Donkey for the trip to Bethlehem…..

[LastNightMyPJsSavedMyLife]

and was more than a little surprised that cattle and sheep were welcomed at the Nativity but no women.

Recorded where?

but anyway… I suppose the shepherds might have been of some practical help as they’d have been familiar with newborn lambs albeit not Lambs of God. But they didn’t turn up till after the birth. It’s never been very clear why the angels picked on them to be the first visitors.

@ErrolTheDragon New Testament

I seem to have missed that … didn’t think it was in the standard canon ?
(sorry, now I’m really ruining a lighthearted thread 😂)

I got a Christmas card that highlighted Mary’s thoughts about the Three Wise Men:
”Huh, at least three wise women would have brought nappies, cake and gin.”

I suspect that the shepherds were wondering who’d taken over the sheep’ shed and how long it would be before they could move back in.
I bet Joseph didn’t think they’d get so many visitors.

Brilliant

AIBU I told DH that I did not want way visitors for the first two weeks after the birth, but he has let in all these random blokes which I have never met before.

The shepherds were supposed to arrive before the birth but they got lost and refused to ask for directions. One of them was absolutely adamant that there was a shortcut but the other 2 wouldn't take it. This is why Shepherd 1 has the lines for the shepherds in the nativity and the other 2 are silent.

On the going to Bethlehem jaunt. There was probably extenuating circumstances paperwork that could have been filled out and sent to arrive before September 1st that Joseph was supposed to do but kept forgetting to do as "there is plenty of time".

It's the 'wise' men that get me.

Any sensible woman would have brought a hot meal, tea, and some pony nuts for the poor donkey.

Snap @Rictasmorticia .

I've never had a card like that though...

Probably not tea tbf, in that time and place. Weak beer or wine?

Well apparently the critical risks with childbirth are things like passing on infections between patients, and all "regular" infections you get with cattle most people would have some sort of immunity anyway. And I guess with farmers more people would have had knowledge of childbirth.

Hay smells quite nice, better than I got in my labour room.

I was talking to someone who has studied that period, and he came out with some interesting information.

The shepherds may well have been the ones that were in charge of looking after the lambs being bred for temple sacrifice, in particular they may have been taking the sheep towards Jerusalem for use as the Passover lambs.
They had to be pure, unblemished - so there would also have been Temple Guards/priests watching to make sure that they were kept as pure as possible.

Two things from that. Firstly the symbolism of the shepherds being first to see Jesus who became the "Passover Lamb" for the people.
Also Jesus being swaddled and laid in a manger - apparently they used to do that to the pure lambs to keep them from being hurt or damaged in any way before they were sacrificed.
The Shepherds would have appreciated the symbolism of this.

But also what occurred to me, is that if there were temple guards and priests there when the angels appeared, surely they would have seen the angels too. We have no mention of them going to the stable, but even so, surely it would have been something they told to other people when they got back to Jerusalem. And when Jesus came into Jerusalem on the donkey on Palm Sunday, some of them must have made the connection.
You remember how the Priest said that angels appeared when they were watching the lambs thirty years ago? The shepherds saw the baby the angels said about and this must be the same person!

May be a load of rubbish, as I've only heard this from this person, but I rather liked it.