Healthy Family
This post was originally published November 8, 2011.
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a natural at decorating!! But each Christmas, my husband and I have enjoyed sprucing up our home with nativity sets we have collected from all over the world.
One of my favorite childhood memories from the Christmas season is playing with my parents’ nativity set. Sure, often Fisher Price Little People or the occasional Strawberry Shortcake figurine or Barbie might have ended up being part of the Christmas story.
But I absolutely loved it–and I believe it helped instill in me the true meaning of Christmas from a very early age.
During my late teens and throughout my 20s, God gave me the opportunity to serve on many mission trips–and even spend a year in Costa Rica and a semester in Canada. My husband had similar experiences.
When we married in 2005, we decided to start collecting unique nativity sets from each country we visited.Â
We display these each Christmas season–and use them to teach our children both about the true meaning of Christmas and how God has called us to be missionaries for Him here, in our own country and around the world!Â
So far, we’ve collected nativities from Costa Rica, China, Argentina, Botswana and Israel. And we hope to continue the tradition as our girls grow. We hope to take family mission trips one day to these countries–and others!
Alisha @ The Savvy Bump
I absolutely love this idea! It is much easier to decorate with lots of different Santa Clauses around the house but the nativity scene is what makes Christmas real. Thanks for sharing!
Erin
🙂 It’s fun!
Dena Norton
I love nativities too – I’m with you, the Israeli one is my fav! We’re headed out to Ecuador soon and I’m hoping, hoping, hoping we find a nice one to add to our own collection! 🙂
Maggie
I use nativities too, but mine are all state side…but we have quite a collection, including the one I grew up with…
Erin
Stateside if fun, too!!
Mama2eight
Yes! I love my nativity sets! Children need a visual to help them understand. We were given a set maybe 20 years ago by a neighbor. It’s ceramic with a peach glaze. We started a tradition that year of picking one piece per night and building the arrangement one piece and one night at a time.
Then we started telling the story of Christmas according to the character that was chosen that night. I wish I knew where it is now. We had a fire in our houset year right after Christmas. A fire restoration company packed up my house. I have no clue where they put it.. So sad, but I’m sure it’s around…
This year I’m missing my decorations. They help me remember and help teach my younger one what this season means.
I have a few creche. We had one play set, but I think it got scattered… I have lots of ideas. I just need people cooperate so we can make at least one set. We made a set with bread modeling dough.
liina
Please consider removing the ads over your photographs. I realize ads bring valuable revenue, and you’ve earned it! But when they block pictures so they attempt to force me to click them so I can see what you’ve shared, it makes me just go. I thought it important enough I should mention it before I go. I loved this post! Thank you for sharing the sweetness!