Snapshot Saturday --- Dec. 10

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by At Home with Books.

Today's snapshot theme: Nativity Sets

The first nativity set that I acquired after marriage. All the characters are painted on wood blocks by an artisan that had a booth at a crafts fair. 

 

Lizzie High nativity set. My mother gave me Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus as a gift. Over the years I added the angel, a shepherd, and a wise man. Made of wood, cloth, and wool.

 

My most precious nativity set was crafted by my sister, who is very creative, out of dough art. Each piece has to be shaped out of dough, dried, baked, and then painted. They are so special to our family not only because they are one-of-a kind but because of all the love that went into making it. When the girls were little they would fight over who got to arrange them.

 

Rita, my oldest daughter, collects Lucy Riggs figurines. Every Christmas she decorates the top of the piano with her collection. In the center of her display is this small nativity scene.

By far my oddest nativity set was purchased at a Fair Trade market, the artisan lives in Africa and is able to make a living wage by creating such interesting gifts. The characters are made from gourds. This unique set makes me smile each year when I set it out.

Believe it or not, I actually have one more set (not pictured here), a small nativity set made in Mexico that I have on display in my library case at school. I highlight different winter holidays such as Feliz Navidad/Posadas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Yule, and Diwali.

If you want to read a very funny book which includes several scenes involving nativity sets, try Dave Barry's, The Angel, the Shepherd, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog.

I'd love to hear about our nativity sets, if you have any.