I had an amazing one from Italy, all hand carved, had it for years and then I decided to give it to my son and his wife, they put it up every year and love it. I sculpted a smaller one for my home.

I like that one! I had one for years that had been in the family and it finally fell apart. We have another one now but I don't like it as well at the one I used to have.

Noooo....but the neighbor has this huge set on his lawn, so that kind of serves the purpose. :c)

Yes. The baby Jesus has not been placed in his cradle. That happens on Xmas morning.

I had one for 30 years that I loved, but 7 years ago when our current lab was a puppy, he chewed up everyone except baby Jesus and a lamb. I saw one that I really liked at Home Goods yesterday and should have bought it, hopefully it's still there.

Yes, I've had one many years. My brother made the stable of cedar. My mother made the cradle and painstakingly embroidered all the figures and animals - they really are quite beautiful. The sheep's wool/coat is hundreds of individual French knots, she was always very good with her hands but has lost many of those skills now to tremor.

There has been an occasional year where I don't display it, only partially unpack and admire it. I think I will use it this season, even though setting it up means moving a lamp, clearing the top of a buffet, a little extra effort that I don't do for the two of us every year.

Rose -- You have 'the eye'. That moss-covered roof makes this perfect.

I have about 30..at last count. How many do you want to see?

I need a new barn... still got mine.

Does a nativity ornament count?

The glass sets I picked up here and there.

Yes, I have a homemade one--made by me nearly 45 years ago in high school pottery class! It is still in excellent shape, despite many moves, and I bring it out every year. The figures include Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, 3 kings, a shepherd, and a lamb. I bought a stable for them that works perfectly.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/p0cjdzaxyb771Lj23

They drowned in the flood. :-(

When DD was little she asked if we could get a "vanity set". I asked her where we would put it, given that we had a pedestal sink in our bathroom and no vanity. "Under the Christmas tree", she told me. Turned out it was a "Nativity set" she wanted :-)

yes, my grandmother painted a set for each of her 5 children and then the following year painted a set for each of her 13 grandchildren. I'll always treasure mine because she made it.

I have a very old set packed away somewhere, passed down to me from Mother. It was brought back by her grandparents on one of their many trips abroad but I don't know where it's from. It's a crowded scene, I can tell you that! Poor Mary didn't have a second of peace with all of those people and livestock hovering around, lol.

I really need to get it out of storage and have someone evaluate it for me. It should be with someone who will cherish it.

I do enjoy looking at nativity sets from around the world, from different eras, and of a wide range of artistic interpretation. I have no religious affiliation at all, but I certainly appreciate these pieces.

morz8 ..... Please show us. It should make your mother proud!

Had (have) a Hummel set for years under the tree, until my dachshund wagged her tail and decapitated the three wise man and Joseph. Now it's boxed up, I never got around to have an expert repair it.

I've used the same one for many years and it is beginning to look a bit worn. This year, Costco had a lovely one and we bought it to replace the old one. Now, I am missing the old one and may want to put it back in its usual place.

I only have a small inexpensive one, would love to have a bigger set like the ones a local garden center that morphs into a Christmas shop this time of year; but even the smaller sets are $40 plus you have to buy the stable for another $40. I always wanted one that has a light.

Plus, every summer I think I'm going to start work on a large wooden outdoor display with painted life-size figures but come December I still haven't begun. How do you feel about these types of outdoor nativity sets? I don't necessarily care for the plastic altho some are decent, definitely don't like the giant blow-ups! I see some at churches that are beautiful and well done. The above mentioned greenhouse has a gorgeous one inside with life-like figures, not cartoonish at all. They bought it one year to sell but guess it was too pricey, so they ended up keeping it, besides she says they wouldn't part with it now - I've asked!

Rose, that's a lovely nativity that you have.

Morz, the handmade set sounds beautiful.

I love all these nativities!

We have two sets, but no pictures at the moment. I always wanted one, then when DD was little we saw the Play Mobile nativity and bought that, it always makes me smile. The second one consists of tiny pewter figures, the largest of which is an inch or so tall. They don't have much detail to them, which I think adds to their charm :)

I have my childhood one which is in a box. Years ago I got a larger similar one which I use. Probably 85 years old.

I usually put up the one that belonged to my late DH, which is a Hummel set.

This is the set my sister made for me almost 20 years ago. Ceramic molds, hand painted. I like them because they are small, simple, and the brown color blends anywhere in my house.

These Nativity sets are so pretty. I am amazed at the individuality of each one and is so dear that each one has a story or cherished memory. My brother make a set in ceramics class which we attended every Saturday. Even though he has the set, I cherish the memory of the two patient, grandmotherly ladies who ran the class. My mother gave me a Fontanini set that she added to each year. I carried on the tradition for my daughters.

When I was a child my Mom bought a plastic manger with all the figures and animals. Somehow over the years we lost baby Jesus. One of my brothers in its place put a Red Rose Tea gorilla figurine. I used to get upset at that and put in another baby Jesus but it was too big. I would get up in the morning and the gorilla was back and baby Jesus was gone. My brother's reply was it was God's creature. Well this went on for years, into adulthood. Didn't matter where I hid that gorilla it would always end up in the manger. Even after the boys moved out and until just a few years ago one of my brothers would come into the house and put the gorilla in the manger. Finally the poor plastic manger fell apart and couldn't really be repaired so it lost its place in the centre of the mantle. So I no longer have a nativity scene. But somewhere in the village that I have put out that darn gorilla always turns up every Christmas

Yes, a large one from Israel from my MIL . Sitting on the ole' grand piano this year.

Schoolhouse I have a smaller one for you if you want to exchange mail. #snowinginthesouth! :))

I have enjoyed seeing all of the Nativity sets, and the stories with them. I have several. The one most used is the one I did in ceramic with my aunt, who had a kiln at the time. I only glazed the pieces with a very pale blue under glaze, as I didn't want to have to try to paint the faces. It's probably 35 years old. Very simple. Mom had the barn built by one of the young men she worked with at the time. My granddaughter, who is almost 4, has helped her mom put it up for me for the past 3 years. Even at 11 months old, she was very careful when helping. I have a Home Interior child version, just the figures, and my great aunt's figures made out of plaster, which are rather creepy looking, but I keep them because they belonged to family.

I always put baby Jesus in Christmas Eve before I go to bed.

We have a plastic lighted set for the yard, and use weathered old pallets to build the stable. If I could cut the wood for a silloette (I know I spelled that wrong) I might give that a try some time. We don't always put it out, though.

I have two of the willow tree nativity sets. I don't know where the second one came from but when unpacking after we moved I found two of them. :P

My mom has a whirl-y-gig nativity thing that she plans to leave to me when she passes, hopefully not for a long time yet.

Here is my small one I bought at Dollar General some years ago. I thought it was nice for as inexpensive as it was. Alas, no light. I've put a tea candle in it in years past but this season I might try the little strands of battery operated lights.

Thanks for thinking of me litasart!

Happy2b, my mom also gave me a Fontanini set when I first moved to Baltimore back in 1984. I have been back home for almost 20 years and I love putting this up at Christmas. I have added some more sheep and the 3 Wisemen and a camel over the years.

This beautiful ceramic set is in the Fellowship Hall of the Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church where we get to hold our Farmers' Market in the winter! I love it. It's so beautiful.

Mine is a Boyd's bear set. I leave it out all year as I used to collect Boyd's bears.

Of course, we do. I bought this one at a craft fair about 20 years ago. It reminded me of the one my mom had when we were small.

I should update this photo...the avocado and yellow are long gone

There are a lot of nice sets here . I think I used to have one, but probably no longer. I have not decorated with anything for some years. We do not have Christmas here and I don't have the energy to deal with decorating I guess.

Sue

I have three different sets but the only one I have up is the one we had when kids. My mother most likely got it at a dime store like SSKresge or McCroreys(sp) as it is a one piece made of all plastic. Brings back good memories but I am sp surprised it lasted all those years!

Arcy....on top of the toilet tank?

^what she said^ HAHA!

Mine belonged to my grandmother. It was missing some pieces when I got it and so I filled in and bought a stable (also missing). The dog's nose is broken (because I played with it as a child). It's in the dining room as she always placed hers. I have a picture of the set -- in black and white probably taken the year she got it. It's from the dime store I'm sure (I remember seeing them there) and a lot of the pieces are marked 10 which I assume they cost 10 cents. Early in our marriage, I bought a pre WW 2 set from Germany that we used until I got my grandmothers. I stored it for years until my DD had her children and then I gave it to her. THAT set has the memories for her as this set has the memories for me!

We had one growing up. My memory of it is the figures were ceramic and very detailed, and the stable/manger/barn (or whatever the structure is called) was dark wood, and ever and a fence and gate to keep the ceramic animals from running away. I'm not sure which of us ended up with it. Although I know it was not me.

rhizo: yep once upon a time they spent much time in the bathtub with children, now like the giving tree they wait and wait.