Nativities from around the world are a great souvenir and a lovely Christmas tradition.

I started collecting Christmas nativities or Christmas creches from around the world when I was a teenager. I loved the small details in each one and how they were all so unique. It seemed like a great souvenir that I would actually use. I have been getting nativities as souvenirs ever since.

If you haven’t noticed from reading yet, I love Christmas, I love Christmas travel, I love Christmas decorations and I love reminding myself on the meaning of Christmas. I am excited every time I open up my Christmas decorations and get to look at my nativities and remember the trip I took to get them.

 

In addition, I love that I get a glimpse inside how different cultures celebrate Christmas and it makes me feel connected to the rest of the world celebrating Christmas together.

At this point, I have 52 nativities from all over the world! I don’t know that I can handle any more, but if they are really teeny tiny, I don’t know how I can resist.

This one is one of my biggest and most extensive nativities I own. This Willow Tree nativity is very popular and for good reason. It is such a tender depiction of the nativity and can be added on year after year.

(It is pretty sturdy as well, my kids have dropped it, thrown it, and more!)

Why Christmas Nativities make great souvenirs and gifts

Christmas nativities are great souvenirs and gifts because they are something that most people will actually use! Even if they are only used for one month of the year, they become treasured pieces of Christmas decor.

Peruvian Nativity sets

Stuffed doll nativity

This colorful beauty was a gift from Peru.  I’m talking about the stuffed figures in the far back. It is lightweight and squish able so it is very easy to pack. Plus it is kid friendly!

Small clay nativity

In the foreground on the left is the nativity my husband bought me when he was in Peru.

I love their little round bodies, cast in clay and delicately painted!

 

This nativity I found online has the same little round bodies and has this adorable star background.

Fold up nativity

The nativity with the doors on the candlestick is my 3rd Peruvian nativity. I love how different they all are!

 

Peruvian Nativites you can buy online

This nativity is very similar to my adorable clay Peruvian nativity.

Or this one

This little open door nativity is a different color than the one I have, but so beautiful.

 

African nativities

Two of my sisters travel to Africa for their jobs very regularly and as a result, I have quite a few African nativities. I love the bright colors, unusual shapes and unexpected materials that are used in the nativities.

I have this beauty from Uganda

 

This one from Kenya that is made from leaves from banana plants.

 

 

and this one from Lesotho that is made from scraps of fabric, wire and rope.

This carved beauty is from Uganda and holds the record for the most pieces in a nativity set.

Nativities from Africa that you can buy online

This one is very similar to my Kenyan nativity.

This one is the exact same nativity I have and it benefits Ugandans with disabilities.

This one is different from any that I have but I think its beautiful!

Nativities from the Middle East

Olive wood nativity

My very favorite nativity is one made of Olive Wood from Bethlehem. If you visit you can pick out the individual pieces and make sure you are happy with each one.

It doesn’t really feel like Christmas until the nativity is up.

 

Palestinian Nativity

This is another favorite (I mean they all are!) and I love that it is kid friendly and nearly indestructible. The figures all wear traditional Palestinian dress.

 Middle Eastern Nativities you can buy online

Here is an olive wood nativity from Bethlehem and it is extremely similar to the one we own and cherish.

This one is so gorgeous I think I might like it even more than the traditional one.

The only place I could find the Palestinian one was here and it is expensive. But keep an eye open on eBay or etsy.

Unusual Nativities

I have a number of unusual nativities and here are some of my favorite!

 

I have been enamored with the  jet black nativity sets I have seen. I really, really wanted one, so I took to my favorite place to find unusual things….Ebay! This gorgeous set weight over 30 pounds and cost a ton to ship, but I grin every time I put it out.

It is made of soap stone, and can break if handled roughly. (When my youngest was 3 he wouldn’t leave the cow alone.) It is a gorgeous piece and we display it on a platter from Amman, Jordan.

Here is a version in white that is also so beautiful

Here are some of my favorite unusual nativity sets:

Handmade nativity scene

This nativity wasn’t bought on a trip to a foreign land, but made by my sister with souvenirs from other travels. My whole family dressed up in dish dash from the Middle East, traditional Jordanian dresses, and the men wore Keffiyeh traditionally worn by residents of the Levant region of the Middle  East.

Our props were copper, brass, and wood carvings from all over the world.

My sister took pictures of each of us, developed the pictures, and modpodged them to black painted blocks of wood.

It is one of my all time favorite nativities! It is an easy thing for any family to do, and I highly recommend it as a gift.

How to display a nativity collection

Have one special nativity?

If you have one special nativity I recommend putting it on your mantel. I put my Bethlehem nativity in the middle of the mantel surrounded by a collection of Christmas trees.

 

Have  2-3 nativities?

If you have a few nativities I recommend finding spots around your home to place them so that each one is special! Look at my willow tree one at the top of the post, it is on a console with lanterns on each side.

Have more than 10 nativities?

I have struggled to find room to display all my nativities in different locations around the house. A few years ago I came up with my favorite way to display them, and that is en masse. I have a few special or large nativities set up on the mantle or a console table, but the majority live on a bookshelf.

I clear off my bookshelf of every book and knick knack and store them away until January, and then begin assembling my nativities.

To make room for all of them, I have had to be creative. I bought some tall and thin candlesticks and some unfinished plaques at the dollar store. (I have also seen the plaques at the craft store.)

I set the plaques on the candlesticks and display some smaller nativities there. I often tuck in pieces of greenery, some mini led lights and it always looks beautiful.

How to start your own nativity collection

Start traveling! Some of my favorite nativities were found in Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Quebec City, and Jerusalem.

But you don’t need to travel to start your own nativity collection. You can find ethically sourced and fair trade nativities from around the world at:

• 10,000 Villages
• Amazon
• Ebay
• Etsy
• Novica.com
• Deseretbook.com

I hope you have as much fun as I do collecting my nativities!

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