It is a nativity scene, complete with figures of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, an angel, a shepherd, the Magi and some animals.

There are 11 figures. But they are not made of wood. They are not ceramic. They are not metal.

All of the figures are elaborately decorated sugar cookies, made by their daughter-in-law, Traci Gutz, who lives in Missouri.

The set was her Christmas gift to them. It arrived in mid-December.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
The figure of baby Jesus is surrounded by, from left, an angel, Joseph, a pig, Mary, two of the magi, and a sheep. All of them are elaborately decorated sugar cookies.

“I was really shocked when I saw it,” Irene Gutz said.

The figures are positioned in front of a wooden stable that once belonged to the father of Irene Gutz. It is about 100 years old. The stable had been packed away for years.

Traci Gutz is not a professional baker, but she has a 3-D cookie cutter and a lot of artistic talent, according to her mother-in-law.

“She’s just a very talented person,” she said. “If someone comes to her with a theme, she can make a cookie to meet the theme.”

The cookie figures were shipped wrapped in plastic packaging. They arrived intact.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
These figures of a donkey, a shepherd, n angel and Joseph are are elaborately decorated sugar cookies.

After the figures arrived, Merlyn Gutz made wooden stands for each of them.

Irene Gutz recalled that she was asked if she would take down the nativity scene since Christmas was almost three months ago.

“I said no way,” she said. “I can’t do that.”

“It’s staying right there, period,” she added. “It’s staying right there until it disintegrates.”