Keeping Christ in Christmas 2: Twelve (12) Curious Nativity Sets from Around The World
I have always found it very interesting to see how different cultures interpret The Nativity (Christmas) Story. Today I bring you a dozen interpretations from different cultures around the world. We also look into two more ways to keep Christ in Christmas.
Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas
Source: 10 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas from About dot Com
Nos. 3 & 4 of 10
3) Set up a Nativity scene in your home:
If you don’t have a Nativity, here are ideas to help you make your own Nativity scene:
• Nativity Related Crafts
4) Plan a project of good will this Christmas:
Author shares..”A few years ago we “adopted” a single mom. My friend was barely making ends meet and didn’t have money to buy gifts for her small child. Together with my husband’s family we bought gifts for both of them and replaced her broken down washing machine the week of Christmas. Do you have an elderly neighbor in need of home repairs or yard work? Find someone with a genuine need, involve your whole family and see how happy you can make someone this Christmas.”
RUSSIA
Nativity Russian Nesting Doll
This beautiful collection of dolls shows the birth of Jesus. The first doll shows the birth of Jesus with the heavenly burst of star in the sky above them. The second doll shows when the three wise men come to see Jesus. The third doll shows an angel. The forth doll shows the wise men again. And the fifth shows a mule. In these five beautiful paintings you will see the marvel of Jesus. It is a wonderful piece of art and is signed by the artist. A desirable piece for any collector, or for anyone who loves Jesus. We have a limited quantity of this item.
MEXICO
Huichol Beaded Nacimiento (Nativity) Set
Photo by Teyacapan on Flickr
This set of nativity scene figures are were made by a Huichol artist who covered ceramic figures with bees wax, then impressed seed beads into the wax to create the colorful designs
Road Trip Nativity Mexico
Modern transportation makes the flight into Egypt a snap. The Holy Family goes for a drive and take along the Three Kings and a shepherd. From the workshop of Agustin Cruz Tinoco of Oaxaca. The painting on the car was done by his daughter
PERU
Nacimiento Campesino (Peasant Nativity) – Retablo
Painted plaster sculpture w/ wood, other materials in painted wood box.
ECUADOR
Balsa Cube Nativity Set
Ecologically harvested balsa wood is carved, burned, and painted by hand to create this funky little 5-piece nativity. Fun to arrange and stack! 1″, 1 1/4″, and 2″ cubes
ZIMBABWE
This Nativity set from Zimbabwe was made by John Chonyoni. He lives in a rural area near Rusape, about 200 miles from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. John’s entire family is involved in making the pieces: chopping the jacaranda tree, carving, sanding, painting, etc.
USA NATIVE ART
Native American Nativity Set
5-Piece Nativity with Lambs by Marilyn Lewis Ray
Medium: Natural Handmade Clay and Pigments, Wood
Tribe: Acoma Pueblo
USA
Nativity Set
Based on the Art of Alexander Girard
(who in his lifetime was both an artist and an avid collector of Folk Art, a large part of it was Nativity themed)
The Nativity – Alexander Girard
Alexander Girard amassed a huge collection of nativities, most of which he spent the last years of his life curating for his wing at the International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe. We thought it would be an appropriate homage to create a completely new nativity based on a Girard illustration that hangs in his son’s house. Made in the USA.
THAILAND
Oxblood Celadon Nativity Set
This set was handmade in Thailand, made from oxblood celadon.
The art of making celadon was created in ancient China, however, this celadon comes from northern Thailand.
INDONESIA
Dayak Nativity Set
Handcarved and Handpainted
This Nativity set is carved from wood and then hand-painted. The clothing style represents the indigenous Dayak culture from Kalimantan, Indonesia. The set includes Joseph holding a sheild, Mary, baby Jesus, and three wise men with gifts. Joseph measures 4.75 inches tall.
VIETNAM
ROLLED RECYCLED NEWSPAPER NATIVITY SET
Multiple layers of rolled, coiled and lacquered recycled magazines create these colorful figures, with a unique vertical design. 6 figures. Tallest: 7 1/4 in. high
HAITI
Recycled Metal Wall Hanging Nativity
Haiti, 17″ W x 25″ Tall, 1 Piece
Two Haitian angels bend low over the Haitian Holy Family in this bright Caribbean wall hanging nativity. Artisans make this nativity from painted cut metal.
To create pieces such as this wall hanging, Haitian cut metal artisans cut open 55-gallon drums, hammer them flat, and then mark designs on the black metal with chalk. Using a hammer and chisel, they pound and cut through the metal to make designs. Intricate painting adds to the striking design.
Among Haiti’s most original art forms, this type of ironwork began in Croix des Bouquets, a small village outside Port-au-Prince. In the early 1930s Georges Liautaud formed imaginative cemetery crosses from recycled metal cut from oil drums. An artistic tradition has grown from those humble beginnings and now the village has become a center for this art, with more than 60 workshops.
DAILY DOSE OF ART 
These are really wonderful! Thank you for sharing them. I am fond of collecting unusual nativity sets, as well. You have some really nice sets.
Thank you for your informative post. I’ve been collecting nativities for a while, as well. I am very interested and fascinated by how people from other countries intertwine their cultural practices, physical appearance, and local materials to create these beautiful works.
I have also been to the folk art museum in Santa Fe, it’s one of those enchanting places where the world of dreams and imagination become real.