It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...Starting With Nativties

Several years ago I started collecting nativities. I'm not even sure how it all got started, but I now have about thirty nativities. A relatively small collection compared to most, but big enough for me. They range in size from Christmas tree ornaments to the complete Willow Tree nativity; I even have a few that are child friendly, including the Fisher Price nativity. I thought that I would share just a few of the ones that I'm displaying this year.

I made this wall hanging about ten years ago. Amongst all of the random pieces of fabric are significant ones that represent my husband and I and each of our five children. Joseph's robe is a remnant of the lining of my first Christmas costume while singing with the Echoes of the Heart; the Baby Jesus' swaddling clothes are the bottoms of Andy's white pants that he took into the mission field ( you know the ones you buy that aren't hemmed and you cut them to the right length and hem them?); the halo above the baby's head is a gold ring that my mother-in-law gave to Ashleigh on her first Christmas in 1987; the shepherds robe is from my favorite pair of Baby Gap overalls that Caitlin wore as a toddler; the shepherds scarf is a piece from Jeffrey's tie; and the ears and faces of the sheep and a couple of the hearts are lining from Michael's and Jeremy's ties. I bought this Precious Moment nativity in 1991; our first Christmas without Ashleigh. I displayed it on her bedroom dresser and then I closed the door and walked away. Everyone needs a magnetic nativity on their fridge. FYI: my fridge is not blue.
This nativity is made from miniature clay pots. One of these years I'm going to make these for the Family Christmas Party.



One of my children gave me this kit as a gift and I crossed stitched it one holiday season. The cute little wood nativity was a boutique find that I couldn't pass up.


I bought these pillows at a boutique a few years ago and I loved them so much that I searched high and low for the pattern. When I finally found it I made a couple of sets and several individual pillows of the Holy Family as gifts. I recently discovered that I have a few of these unfinished in my craft supply, so you never know when I might show up at someones home with a gift (but please don't hold your breath this year).This nativity was knitted by a mother and daughter who lived in my parents mission in England.My Willow Tree nativity that was completed with the purchase of the creche last year (with my spare change).