Nativity scenes a heavenly gift
ACCORDING to the Gospel of James, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”, and there is no better quote to sum up the heavenly treasures and gift ideas available at the St Vincent de Paul Book and Gift Shop on Charters Towers Rd.
And, at this time of the year, a specialty of the St Vincent de Paul Book and Gift Shop is its huge range of nativity scenes.
From elegant wood- carved settings that are part of the acclaimed Willow Tree collection, to an assortment of colourful and cute scenes that children are sure to love, the St Vincent de Paul Gift and Book Shop has the perfect nativity scene for you and your family to cherish forever.
“Here at the St Vincent de Paul Book and Gift Shop our nativity scenes come in all shapes and sizes, for people of all tastes and ages,” said Maree Church, who manages the store, which is unique in that it sells all brand new products and gifts from around the world, including books, candles, rosary beads, Christmas ornaments, arguably the best selection of nativity scenes in the country, plus much much more besides.
“This year we have a nativity scene that reflects Joseph as a truly caring father figure,” said Maree.
“In the scene, Joseph is the one cradling the Baby Jesus in his arms while Mary looks on lovingly. It’s our modern family take on the classic nativity scene and something that both mums and dads can really appreciate.
“We also have our beautiful nativities from the House of Fontanini, direct from Italy.
“The House of Fontanini has been creating beautiful sculptures for the past four generations. You can add new pieces to your nativity scene and the figures are unbreakable, so they make the perfect heirloom to bring out and cherish every Christmas.”
With its huge selection of affordable yet memorable gifts, the St Vincent de Paul Book and Gift Shop also offers the perfect solution to avoiding the manic Christmas rush at the big shopping centres.
“People always find our shop a very calming and relaxing place to visit,” said Maree.
There’s also parking out the back of the store as well as plenty of on- street parking for customer convenience.
“Our gifts and books offer something for everyone and every budget,” added Maree. "Our range is very affordable and our gifts are something special people will treasure.”
On his visit to the store during the lead- up to last Christmas, Bishop Tim Harris said the shop was something that would have made St Vincent de Paul himself proud.
“Everyone is welcome here and that’s the feeling you get when you walk in,” said the bishop.
“In fact, Maree mentioned that when people come in here — Catholics, nonbelievers, people who are neutral — they see a safe house in this place.
“This is more than a gift shop, it’s a house of welcome.”
The St Vincent de Paul Book and Gift Shop is at 219 Charters Towers Rd, opposite Donohues.
Pop in Monday through Friday from 9am- 4pm, or Saturday from 9am to noon.