The Nativity Scenes Gallery at Oak Rise Cottage

In today’s post I would like to share a very special Christmas-related collection at Oak Rise Cottage—my nativity scenes collection.

I began nativity collecting because I wished to focus more on the essential purpose of the Christmas holiday. People kept saying that Christmas was no longer worth celebrating because, "Christmas has gotten too commercialized." Not at all willing to give up on the most wonderful time of the year, I thought, why not do something about this overbearing commercialization? It always takes someone deciding and doing to make any changes.
So my goal became doing whatever was in my sphere to keep Christ in Christmas. One way to accomplish this was by presenting visuals of the story of Christ’s birth.

My first set was a 16-piece pewter plated set, purchased in December 1991 at a very charming gift shop.

It is realistically detailed on both sides. Note the shepherd girl and boy:


Everyone who sees the set is captivated by the detail. Even though I liked the pewter set very much, I still wanted something a bit more colorful, so I found this 11-piece ceramic set at Brooks Pharmacy for $7.99

Visiting a Hallmark store’s after-Christmas sale, I decided to collect just ornaments and started with these two:

As time went on, I found myself buying both sets and ornaments from catalogues, at antique stores, gift shops, while travelling, online from eBay and other venues. Co-workers, friends and relatives gifted me with more. Actually, the first ornament in the collection was in 1979 gift from a dear co-worker

So the collection grew and grew. At Christmas I displayed them in each room of my house. I also exhibited them in the college library each year, and at a gallery in Worcester, MA, where I also gave a 40-minute lecture on the nativity in December 2000. In subsequent years I loaned sets for display. Then, because of all the work of packing up, setting up and taking down, I decided to set up a mini museum right at home.
In 2005 this major change came about as I decided to empty the approximately 12’x15’ den and make it into a ‘gallery’ for my nativity collection. No longer were the nativities spread all over the house; instead, the major portion was consigned to the new Gallery. To make the gallery displays, I gathered together a plethora of tables, stands and bookcases I had gotten at consignment shops and at thrift and junk stores. To give the room some harmony, I rummaged around my house and found all the green or red fabrics, place mats, tablecloths, and even tissue paper, to provide a background for the various items. My aim was to avoid spending extra money on installation apparatus. I just made use of what I could find around the house and in the garage.

For some time, I had sought nativity scenes from various countries. It was great to see the diverse ways that the nativity story was depicted by each ethnic group or nation. So the gallery display is for the most part, arranged on three walls by world area. Starting just inside the door, to the left is the MIDDLE EAST,

with an olive wood set from Bethlehem...

then AFRICA,

Here is a set made from the thorn tree in Nigeria
and a brass set from Cameroon:

Next is ASIA,
which includes a wood carved set from China:

and a ceramic set from Korea:

LATIN AMERICA occupies one corner,
which includes this fine set of ceramic with gilt trim from Uruguay:

Next is EUROPE.


This handpainted wood set is from Russia:
From Germany comes this colorful plastic child's set by Playmobil,

And this vintage set of painted wood is from Denmark:

Europe ends this international display with Italy, the home of the first recreated nativity scene led by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 in the village of Greccio. The last set is the popular Fontanini Heirloom nativity with its various figures and accessories.

Additional Italian nativity scenes include a glass one from Murano,

A vintage set of white plastic, a one-piece by Nuova Capodimonte, and one from Demetz Art Studio.

On a low table in the middle of the room is the United States. These are mainly nativities by various artists.



Canada is represented by a Heather Goldminc ceramic nativity, in her colorful whimsical style.

Other nativity sets occupy shelving units on the right of the door – children’s sets such as Precious Moments, Cherished Teddies, Hallmark Peanuts Gallery. These sets of pottery, paper, crystal, depict the nativity in various materials. Here is one by artist Ted Naos, sold by the Art Institute of Chicago:

On a ledge is Department 56 'Little Town of Bethlehem' with its lighted buildings


During the past two Christmases I have enjoyed each time family members, friends, neighbors, have come in the room for me to show them around the displays. Last Christmas Day after dinner we adults retired to the gallery. (The youth had already taken their tour before the meal.) There I gave my mother, my sister, her husband and his mother a relaxed tour around the room. We took time to examine special details and to discuss the designs of many of the nativity scenes.

The photographs in this post can provide only a glimpse of the inspiring array of nativity scenes. I wish you could visit in person to take in the various materials and styles. It helps us reflect on why we celebrate this day. It also helps us to realize just why this season has such a powerful effect on people year after year.

Feel free to ask any question or make a comment have on the Nativity Gallery.
Thank you for stopping by. Do come again very soon.

Vintage postcard at top is from nativity collection at Oak Rise Cottage. It pictures a panoramic view of life-size nativity figures at the Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut.