In Nativity states

COSTA MESA — Lee Ramos mastered the art of looking like a statue long ago.

The longtime member of the First United Methodist Church on 19th Street first took part in a live Nativity scene when he was in high school, dressing as Joseph and doing his best to stay perfectly still.

Four decades later, Ramos has kept the tradition going. He and his wife, Barbara, set up their third annual Nativity display Saturday evening on the church’s front lawn, inviting members and nonmembers to don the costumes of shepherds, angels and wise men and recreate the Biblical scene for passing motorists.

“We’ve had people from other cities come in, get dressed and join the scene,” said Ramos, a Newport Harbor High School alumnus, who added that some people even brought their dogs to play the animals in the stable.

The Nativity display began shortly before 4 p.m. as Costa Mesa residents Stan and Nancy Brown dressed up as Joseph and Mary and sat by a makeshift manger on the lawn, a Cabbage Patch doll doubling as the baby Jesus. Each actor suited up for 45 minutes at a time while a single floodlight illuminated the scene and a boom box on the grass played Christmas carols.

The Ramoses have collected more than two dozen costumes handmade by women at the church, and they displayed them inside Saturday evening for actors to peruse. At one point, Pastor Julie Elkins dressed up as Mary while her family members populated the scene around her.

Except for the doll, none of the actors quite stayed still throughout the display, but Elkins said that wasn’t entirely the point.

“We try to make it interactive,” she said. “We wave to people and wish them a merry Christmas.”

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].