My Nativity Scene Collection
It all began in 1998, with a Christmas dinner at a friend who bought a nativity scene from a Troronto YWCA store. I thought thought it would be a good idea to buy one to add to the family nativity I had. So I bought two the next year. Then two more the following year. I haven’t stopped since then.
Through the years, I have returned to the same store. I have bought nativity scenes at Ten Thousand Viilages, at the Old Quebec City’s Boutique de Npèl (Christmas Store), online, even overseas. Some are gifts.
So, todayI have 62 nativity scenes. OK, I’ll admit : my definition of a nativity scene is fairly open, and includes many forms of graphic representative of the Nativity. I should also mention that I haven’t always kept a good track of where my items were from.
So, here are (most of) my nativity scenes.
My family’s nativity,, acquired in the 1960’s
See Also
My Santons de Charlevoix
Peruvian Terracotta Nativity Scene
Beginnings
My first two acquisitions were from Peru and Africa. The following year, I bought nativity scenes from Mexico and Germany.
African Nativity Scene – Metal
Mexican Nativity Scene
German Triptych (three-part panel)
Gifts
My collection includes gifts from brothers, friends and colleagues. My thanks to them all.
Cardboard Nativity Scene, from a Children’s Book – the book provides the background
Nativity Svene from L’Arche Daybreak Community, near Toronto
A Middle-East Inspored Nativity Scene( (gift from one of my brothers)
A Classical Natity Scene (gift from one of my brothers)
Two Gifted Nativity Scenes
Nativity-theme medallion
The South-Americans
Some of my favorite nativity scenes are from South America (mostly Peru) : wooden characters, a retable and an unusual depiction of Mary and Joseph.
Peruvian Wooden Nativity Scene
Diamond shaped Nativity Scene
Small Wooden Peruvian Retable
From South America, Joseph and a pregnant Mary travelling to Bethlehem
First Nation and Inuit Inspirations
Western Plains’ First Nations and inspired two nativity scenes. Local anmals replace replace traditional ones and even the Wise Men!
First Nation Inspired Nativity Scene
Inuit Inspired Nativity Scene
I travelled to Europe and…
Nativity scene from the town of Assisi
… I bought nativity scenes. One is from Assisi, in Italy, where someone named Francis is said to have created the first living nativity scene. The other one is from Westminster Abbey, in London.
English Nativity Scene
From Africa and Asia
Four nativity scenes from African and East Asian craftpeople.
Banana Leaf African Nativity Secne
African Hut
Fillipino Nativity Scene
Vietnamese Nativity Scene
At the Auction
My former Toronto parish (Newman Centre, University of Toronto) held an annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner. It included a silent auction, and twice a nativity scene was on the block. My co-parishioners didn’t stand a chance (wink)…
Porcelain Nativity Scene
Resin Nativity Scene
A Children’s World
Child-like characters, and a children nativity set.
School Children Play the Nativity Story
Cherubs star as nativity characters
Children Faces
A children Nativity Set
Animals
The Others…
A small Nativity
Joseph, Mary and Jesus are ”nested” between the angel’s wings
Three small wooden nativity scenes
Fie Miniature Nativity Scenes
Resin Figurine
A Small Nativity Scene
A Brass Nativity Scene
A Commercial Nativity Scene
”Wool”-clad Characters
Wooden Blue Nativity Scene
The Nativy as depicted during the Renaissance
Wooden Nativity Scene
And why not a fridge magnet?