Religion: Behind The First Noel

Who were the wise men? What about that star? And is it possible Jesus was born in Nazareth? How the story of Christ's birth came to be

Katie Larson is little too young to get it.  Her dad Brian has just slipped a blue-and-white-striped shepherd smock over her head. "Look at you," he says. "It's perfect." But Katie, 2, doesn't think so. Two years ago she was Baby Jesus, and that costume was much more comfortable. She begins to cry. "Do you want to hold this cute little baby sheep?" Brian asks, waving a stuffed toy before his daughter's beet-red face. Still no sale.

Katie's brother Tyler, 6, is more at ease with all this. He obligingly pulls on the robe, cord belt and headdress worn by dozens...

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