craft: Nativity

I love decorating for seasons. I love creating and crafting and making things beautiful. In college, I made wreaths and hung anything from leaves to snowflakes to hearts from the ceiling of my dorm room.

I like having a reason to celebrate, and all the better if I can make something in the process!

When I was little, most of our neighbors didn't celebrate Christmas, or rather, few knew what it was. Our Christmas tree was little, but I didn't care. After all, I had nothing to compare it to, so I was unaware that it should or could have been anything other than that what it was. I don't think my parents ever talked about Santa Claus, so I can't say that he was a significant part of my Christmas memories. Indeed, I can't even say a particular Christmas present stands out in my mind.

My favorite part of Christmas was always setting up the nativity scene. I remember one year, my mom and I collected sticks and twigs and made our own stable with our handy dandy glue gun and copious amounts of glue. I always relished taking out the pieces from the paper they were wrapped in and setting them in their place. We had a plastic nativity set with three wise men, an angel, Mary, Joseph, two shepherds, some animals, a manger and a baby Jesus.

My Christmas corner :)

Last year, I was home and dug out the box and went about setting up the Nativity. By now, the paint has faded some, and the back of the angel has a burned and melted spot where I must have hung her over a candle (live and learn, right?), but I still think it's wonderful. I also found a box with a Chinese hand carved wooden set. It's absolutely beautiful and I set it up too (don't worry I didn't put any candles near it).

This year, I won't be home for Christmas. So I needed a little Christmas in my apartment for myself. I found a little tree and cheap ornaments, but I was stuck when it came to the Nativity scene. All the ones that I liked were out of my price range. What to do?

I was browsing other blogs online, and saw that many people made their own! They used wooden blocks and printed out images and adhered them to the blocks.

So, I hit the craft store. I saw blocks, but wasn't completely inspired. So take a look at what I went with instead. It took me way longer than if I had printed out pictures, and it probably would have looked better too, but that's ok.

I have a Nativity set! Under $8! Look, see the beard? Baller.

I have to admit I think my rendition of baby Jesus could use some major work. But, it'll do for now, and the Bible says he wasn't super attractive by our standards any way. That'll be my reasoning for now.

What do you think?