...Please excuse me for telling another true anecdote of my Mothers' family...but I hope that you will enjoy it...
I am living with my elderly Mother, and on a nice counter is 'Santo Nino'. It is a very old doll, it is carved out of wood, and nicely painted. It is a male doll, with brown hair, and it sits in a chair, and it is holding out its' hands...and is smiling. It is wearing a black robe, and it sits about 8" high. The name translates to, approximately..."Sainted boy".
My Mother tells me that it was made in Spain, and when that branch of my Ancestors came to the US, they settled in South Texas, right along the Mexican border, in a place that later took up the name Presideo. *G* That is the Spanish word for "Jail".
My Grandmother and Great Aunts lived in that little adobe house, and my Mother was born there, and grew up in Presideo...until she moved to Las Vegas...and met my Father...who was an Army DI.
In Presideo, the villagers came to believe that 'Santo Nino' was a carving of Jesus as a young boy, and admired it. They believed that my Great Aunts had healing powers, and would come to them. They also believed that the doll had healing powers, and would ask to borrow Him, and take Him home, and return Him after keeping Him near a sick relative.
I was told that 'Santo Nino' was very successful in curing an injured, or sick person...or comforting the Family when a person was too sick.
Word spread into Mexico...and people from Mexico would cross the Rio Grande, and ask my aunts to borrow 'Santo Nino'. The aunts would let them take the doll...and it would be returned after a few weeks.
It is still in pretty good condition...everyone who handled it, treated the doll with respect.
So, 'Santo Nino' sits in His chair, at the top of the stairs...