TABOR CITY, NC (WBTW) The tune of “Silent Night” streams through the room as the manger like hike sets the mood on the floor.
“Baby Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas,” nativity set collector Rodney Gore said. “It’s nice to get presents but getting to know Jesus is greater.”
That’s the message Gore says he hopes people take as they see his collection of thousands of nativity sets.
“How many people have actually touched Baby Jesus in all these pieces here,” Gore said.
He says that goes from sculpture to mold maker, painter to viewer.
“I started about 40 years ago,” Gore said.
The florist and gift shop owner would buy a nativity at a show and bring one back to the store to sell and one to keep.
“So one day I said heck I need to be collecting these,” Gore said.
And so it began, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus made all over the world. From as large as this German made music box, to the ever so fine and detailed.
“As long as I have a floor space and a place to put them I will continue to collect,” Gore said.
I asked him how he knows which ones he already has if he is picking out something knew. He says when it’s your collection and you’ve spent so much time with it you just know.
If you’d like to visit the Tabor City Nativity and Christmas Expo call Rodney at 910-640-8701.