Focus on the religious basis of the Christmas holiday by displaying nativity scenes, sometimes called manger scenes or crèche scenes, inside your house and on your lawn. Nativity sets can feature just the holy family – Mary, Joseph, and Jesus – or an entire stable scene including the three wise men, shepherds, sheep, camels, and angels. Classic, traditional scenes include a rustic manger with realistic figures. Modern nativity sets have simple lines and impressionistic shapes. A host of children’s nativity sets feature solid, friendly figurines that serve as toys as well as divine decorations.
Following are some of the nativity, or crèche, sets available from online retailers.
Handmade Andean Nativity Figures
At Tenthousandvillages.com, find handmade nativity sets by artisans whose work displays the beautiful indigenous crafts of their homeland. The Andean Nativity Figures (pictured below) hail from the Cusco region of Peru, where artists craft the ceramic kings, shepherd, holy family, sheep and llama, and also paint them by hand. Each piece of the nine-part set is about four inches tall. Price: $58. Shipping varies with UPS.
Fontanini 12-Inch Nativity Set
Fontanini, the Italian company famous for creating beautiful, realistic resin manger sets in a variety of sizes, has a huge presence on the Internet. Shop the Fontaninistore.com for a mind-bending assortment of individual nativity figures and sets, ranging from five inches to seventy inches tall. The Fontanini set pictured below is a complete 12-inch scale manger scene featuring six figures and a stable made partially of wood and moss. Price: $1,005. Free ground shipping for all orders over $35.
Children’s Nativity Set
This “hands on” wooden children’s nativity set from onestepahead.com includes chunky, carved wood figures of the holy family, animals, three kings, and shepherd (see photo below). The set stores in a wooden box that can also be personalized. Price: $39.95. Shipping is $9.75.
Silver Nativity Figures
Neiman Marcus offers an elegantly simple four-piece Nativity set with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in his cradle, all cast in a silvertone metal alloy. A gracefully carved wooden arch accompanies the trio. Price: $200. Shipping: $18.95.
Outdoor Nativity Figures
This outdoor lighted nativity set from Bronners.com comes with three plastic holy family figures that light with a soft, heavenly glow. The 40-inch tall figures are life-like in design and require two additional 60-watt bulbs that are not included. Price: $115. Shipping is $15.99 and an additional $19.99 oversized surcharge.
To care for your nativity set, at the end of the holiday season wipe each piece clean and wrap individually in newspaper or tissue paper.
Judith Zwolak - Judy is a mother of two and a freelance writer living in South Dakota. Raised by notoriously frugal parents, she comes by her family ...
