Collecting nativity sets and scenes

You love nativity scenes and sets.  They have been a part of your life since you were a kid, and, perhaps, setting them up on Christmas Eve was a very special event your family.  For whatever reason, collecting nativity sets and scenes, or individual parts thereof, is a fascinating hobby.

The first thing you need to do is decide what your collection is all about. For instance, you could choose to collect sets from a particular country. Italy would be a great idea. After all, St. Francis of Assisi is credited with being one of the popularizers of the idea. However, every country in every age has added its own unique touch to the nativity scene.

You could also focus on the material used to create the sets. You could collect nativity sets made of metal, ceramic, onyx, fabric, wood, cornhusks, reeds, plaster, papier mache, etc., etc., etc.  The French produce their small clay Santons.  You can get beautiful hand molded and painted figures fom Italy.  There are beautiful carved wooden scenes produced in Africa.  Olive wood nativity sets come from Israel's West Bank.

You can collect nativity sets that look realistic or more modern sets. These generally have fewer figures, simpler lines and more subdued colors, such as the Willow Tree Nativity sets/scenes.

Think beyond traditional figurines with a stable. The nativity scene is available in many forms. Think pictures, Christmas ornaments, music boxes, snow globes, calendars and sculptures incorporating the nativity scene.

Many collectors go after figurines from collectibles companies such as Precious Moments, Hummel,Lenox, Fontanini, Jim Shore, etc.

More ideas are available ideas on how to collect nativity sets from the Friends of the Creche. This is a collectors’ society accessible through The Marian Library Web site at www.udayton.edu/mary/gallery/creches.html.

For specific types of nativity sets, see the following:
Willow Tree Nativity Set
Willow Tree Christmas Story
Fontanini Nativity Sets