Advent is a time of great expectation and excitement. We celebrate the first coming of the Son of God into the world with worship and presents and trees and lights. Peace on Earth and joy are written and sung everywhere. Our brightly colored nativity scenes feature plump smiling baby Jesuses with animals gathered around the manicured stable, and the Christmas pageant has real camels, y’all. Yet, the reality of the birth of Christ is a little less Pixar and a little more Christopher Nolan (Godman Begins). There were no pleasant smells that night, only what the animals had to offer. There were no nurses or air conditioning, no one running to fetch ice chips. And the only people rushing through the door to meet the new baby were a few sketchy sheepherders who likely smelled about as pleasant as their flock. It was a quiet, still, solemn, dirty, and largely unannounced affair.