The baby Jesus came early this year to Fort Kent.

Well, at Carlene and Herman Thibeault’s house, anyway. Grandson Nicholas helped set up their outdoor Nativity after Thanksgiving, and he can’t wait until Christmas.

“Nicholas really wanted to put the baby Jesus in,” Herman Thibeault, 69, said.

In a town in a valley where Catholic church spires soar toward the sky at nearly every bend in the road, front-yard creches are a common sight this time of year. Sure, there are reindeer and snow globes and inflatable snowmen, but the ritual of the manger speaks to a deep inner faith.

“It’s a symbol of the Christian family,” Carlene, 69, explained. “It’s Jesus’ birthday and it’s our belief.”

Shortly after they married in the 1950s, the couple received a small amount of money as a Christmas gift from Herman’s family. They used it to buy their first Nativity, a simple, rustic indoor model. It was one of the only holiday decorations they had, and the most important.

“I actually think we had that before Santa in our house,” Carlene recalled, smiling. “Santa had to come, though.”

Each year, Santa came for the couple’s five children, and later their 13 grandchildren. The whole time, Carlene longed for another Nativity – something she could display outdoors. In 1982, on a trip to Italy – the heart of Catholicism – the couple admired the handmade creches, but they couldn’t afford anything so grand.

Two years ago, while visiting nearby Edmundston, New Brunswick, the Thibeaults stopped at a gift shop. They weren’t looking for a Nativity set at the time, but they found one, and it was made in Italy.

“That meant a lot,” Carlene said. “Now that we have grandchildren, I thought it’d be something nice for them to see and hold on to.”

Carlene had searched for years for figures that had “that original look,” and this set fit the bill. Cast in resin and painted in muted colors with touches of gold, Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the angel look like heirlooms from the 1800s. Herman built a manger out of antique barn boards in keeping with the vintage theme.

The Thibeaults planned to set up the creche on their porch, but they decided to put in their wide driveway, where they could see it every day. Carlene has plans for spruce trees on either side, but for now, the manger stands unadorned with its figures nestled in hay, lit from above and watched over by an angel.

It’s the creche of Carlene’s dreams. Her only complaint is the size of the baby Jesus – she was a little disappointed by how small he is. She mentioned this to a friend, who jokingly assured her, “He’ll grow, he’ll grow.”

“He won’t grow, I think,” Herman said, laughing, at the couple’s kitchen table.

No matter, Carlene said, smiling: “As long as his love grows.”