2014 Nativity Display

We change how we display our nativities each year. As we accumulate nativities it becomes necessary to be more selective in the ones we choose to display. Out of our 791 nativities we still displayed about 600. The following pictures are representative of our 2014-15 display.

In years past we have put the ceramic Indians on the top of the hutch which made them difficult to view. We brought them down and put some tall things that normally go on top of the kitchen cabinets on top of the hutch. The ceramic pieces on each end stay out all year. The one on the far left got Reserved Champion/First Place in the 2012 Anne Arundel County Fair and the one on the right got Best of Show/First Place in the 2014 fair. Carole enters nativity in the fair each year to remind people of the real meaning of Christmas.

Close up of the ceramic Indian sets.Carole made all of them.

Inside large curio.

Top shelf:  nativities from Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

Middle shelf: from Mali, Biltomore Estate, someone's after Christmas sale, Philippines

Bottom shelf: ceramic candle holder, handmade dolls from Simpich

Large one piece nativity given to Carole by Christian Book Shop manager because it was broken. Carole fixed it with a little glue and she can't remember exactly what figure had to be glued.

Bottom two shelves are large snow globe nativity music boxes.

On the wall: Trapunta nativity scene made by Ginger

On the shelf: Three Precious Moment and one Avon look alike nativities

Nativity Christmas tree, two music boxes with scenes that rotate (one is in the style of a matchbox)

See above for top shelf

Middle shelf: Assortment of small nativities including a hand painted ball from China. It was painted through a  small hole in the bottom with a one bristle brus

We made shelves out of bi-fold doors. These shelves are in our daughter's dining room which adjoins our apartment to her house. One set is a corner cabinet on which we put our whimsical nativities.

Top shelf: dog and  cat  nativities (came from "Collections" catalog

Middle shelf: nativities in which the characters are children

Bottom shelf: nativity Carole made from plastic canvas

Top of cabinet: Melissa and Doug puzzle

Top shelf: Nativity with child figures, Snow Angels by Dept 56, small ceramic nativity

Bottom shelf: Nativity pageant with African American children are dressed for a pageant, snow man nativity, child figures nativity

Top shelf: nativities with childlike figures

Second shelf: Playmobile set

Third shelf: Peanuts, plastic toy, and small tree and nativity on a plaque

Bottom shelf: Veggie Tales, rubber ducks, cube that opens to tell the story of the nativity, nativity blocks (very frustrating as the stable is not very stable)

On top: blocks that spell Jesus, case with rubber band figures. One of the children from Kathy's church made the figures. Unfortunately the green Joseph lost his right arm due to excess tension on the rubber bands.

Top and second shelves: nativities with childlike figures

Third shelf: Playmobile nativity

On the wall: Nativity made by Earl Martin. He also made the arched one directly underneath it. He made it our of a church pew. And he made the stable on the next shelf down. Carole made the ceramic figures that are in the stable.

The nativities on these shelves are mostly the larger sets and pieces.

The blue nativity on the left side of the top shelf will be one of Carole's 2015 Anne Arundel Fair entry. The one on the far right is a German "Tree of Light" that Carole found in a thrift store.

The bottom shelf has two different plastic canvas sets.

Earl Martin made the wood nativity on the wall.On both sides of the top shelf are identical (except for the background) ceramic nativities that Carole made. The one on the left is painted and the one on the right is dry brushed. They look totally different.

The two tall pieces on each side are "trees" with nativity scenes in them. The one in the middle is acrylic but looks like glass. The three pieces in the front are Neiman Marcus crystal.

Top of the kitchen cabinets. (It is too hard to replace the ship's wheel so we leave it up. Models of sailing ships are there most of the year.)

In front of the wheel is a set that we originally purchased for our fireplace mantle. Our nephew, Jon, gave us the brown box that contains a nativity and our daughter, Ginger, made the white box that says "Believe".

At the bend is a nativity that reminds us of our Jewish heritage since it is like a Mennorah with a nativity scene in the center. On the far left is a Willow Tree nativity.

On far left is a nativity produced by Willow Tree
The other is a functional tea set. From left to right: mug, sugar bowl, pitcher, cookie jar, tea pot, creamer. Carole bought this the day after Christmas with money she had received as a special gift.

The only nativities in this picture are the plastic canvas ones hanging from the wagon wheel light and small ones from the dollar store on the windows. Plastic canvas Chrismons are on the curtains to the left and Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments are on the other. It is said that Catholic children were taught their catechism using the twelve days of Christmas when Catholicism was outlawed in England.

The second nativity set we owned. It was commissioned by Jack's birth brother, Harold, and made by their cousin Lois. Harold gave it to us the first Christmas after we met him. 

The top nativity was bought at  an Anne Arundel Fair grounds yard sale. We have been told that the city scene is pretty representative of Jerusalem. The other two were gifts

Nativities made from wood

From Mali. Porduced  by Baptist pastors who worked at a wood shop called "Pedal Powered Projects". The electricity to power the saws was generated by someone pedaling a bike. All the pieces fit in the stable for storag.

Maasai  wooden nativity. Paid $5.00 for it at the Norfolk Flea Markxet. 

Back of Maasai nativity
The Massai is an  ethnic group of semi-nomadic people inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The piercing and stretching of earlobes is common among the Maasai. Various materials have been used to both pierce and stretch the lobes, including thorns for piercing, twigs, bundles of twigs, stones, the cross section of elephant tusks and empty film canisters. Fewer and fewer Maasai, particularly boys, follow this custom.

Painted lightweight wood from Indonesia

Wooden free standing ornaments of unknown origin

German "Pyramid of Light" found in a thrift store. These are called "German Pyramids", Weinnachts pyramids and poor man's Christmas trees. They originated in the Erzebirge region of Germany. They were first made by minersof the area because they could not afford an actual tree. At first they were four poles and resembled a tree. At one time the pyramid was a symbol of light. It expressed the miners' wish for light. Now they have many forms are are very expensive.

A Secret Pal gift. Stands two feet tall.

Small commercial wooden nativity

"Push out" nativities. The two smaller ones were made by members of St Andrews UMC. The large one was found in a yard sale.

Earl Martin  (December 11, 1924-October 8, 2015)
Earl Martin is the father of our pastor's wife, Sandy Hemphill. One of his hobbies was woodworking. He and his wife, Peggy, would sell his work at local craft fairs. We first his work at the Greek Orthodox Christmas bazaar. We bought one nativity from him each year until we acquired .the first four. 

Made by Earl Martin

Earl Martin made this muisic box nativity from a church pew. This was his prototype and he gave it to us at one of our nativity open houses. The center section rotates while it plays music.

Carole added the blue felt background to make the figures stand out against a light wall. Although it is made to be free standing we hang

This is a child's play set. Each figure has a magnet glued on the bottom and the base has a corresponding magnet.

Stable by Earl Marble, Ceramic figures by Carole

Carole purchased the pattern and commissioned Earl Martin to make it for her.

Painted outdoor wooden nativity by Earl Martin

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A nativity puzzle by Earl Martin.

Small wooden nativity found in a yard sale. Appears to be from another country.

Handmade ornament we got in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Layered wooden ornament similar to large one below

Actually 4 layers to make one scene. Found in an after Christmas clearance sale.

An ornament meant to be painted but we like it unpainted.

Small nativity on the left are Bible Buddies from Group VBS.
Large nativity on the right was found at a craft market in the Port of Sydney, Nova Scotia. We met the man who made it. We also saw this handmade nativity at the National Cathedral. It was attributed to a different country. Carole saw the pattern for this nativity in a woodworking pattern catalog.

Handmade wooden nativity given to us by Bonnie and Gary Biggs.

Only 7" long. Found in Branson, MO in a craft mall. They had many nativities done in this style-it was hard to just choose one.

Small wall plaq

Found in a yard sale. Obviously damaged but Carole was attracted to it by Joseph's beard and hat.

Ornament found at a Christmas bazaar. Very difficult to display because not well balanced

Laser cut wood nativity found in a yard sale

Puzzles

Wooden puzzle made by Earl Martin. the pieces all fit in the backdrop.

                                              

3 1/2" x4 1/2" 24 piece puzzle

This puzzle was bought at the Temple replica in Lancaster, PA. It was made in Morrocco but obviously not Morroccan. There were other similar puzzles of Amish scenes.

Melissa and Doug puzzle

Nativity puzzle when ready for storing in the box (except for the angel)

How the puzzle comes 

How the Nativity is displayed

The box. it came in.