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Nativities

Tell the Christmas story with a handmade nativity set from around the world. You'll find a nativity scene for any space in our global collection, all lovingly crafted by skilled artisans. Finish your nativity collection today with fair trade!

Handmade Nativity Sets

From hand-painted terracotta to hand-carved wood, SERRV has over 20 handmade nativity sets from around the world. Find the perfect nativity for your holiday today. Every nativity is ethically made from a sustainable material and brings artistry to your Christmas decoration collection.

Indonesian Wooden Nativities

All of our hand-carved Indonesian wooden nativity scenes are artisan made. Our popular Indonesian nativities are handcrafted from sustainable alstonia, albizia, acacia, toona, or sengon woods. From detailed and delicate batik-style painting to rough and rustic carving, each handmade nativity set is one-of-a-kind and a beautiful reminder of the season.

Kenyan Nativities

Natural soapstone is selected, carved, and dyed by hand by artisans in Kenya to create beautiful nativity scenes. From bright white to soft turquoise to midnight black, each unique handcrafted nativity set brings global beauty to your holiday.

Peruvian Nativity Scenes

Our Peruvian nativity scenes feature natural terracotta that is molded and fired before being hand-painted in a variety of colors and styles. Our Tranquil Teal Nativity highlights bold blue on smiling figures. Also from Peru, the incredibly detailed and miniature Matchbox nativities include hand-painted clay figures and backdrops in old matchboxes. Great for collectors or as stocking stuffers!

West Bank Nativities

Nothing is more meaningful than a nativity carved by artisans in the Holy Land itself. Each olive wood nativity is carved by a Palestinian artisan from the West Bank with incredible attention to detail. These small nativity scenes are perfect for shelves, desks, mantels, or foyers, and are a beautiful reminder of the Christmas story.

More Global Nativities

Find the perfect global nativity from SERRV. From recycled oil drums hand-embossed by artisans in Haiti, to the hand-carved and youthfully painted Bright Wood Nativity from Sri Lanka, you'll find the perfect handmade nativity set for your home. You'll also find nativities for your tree when you shop the unique holiday decorations we have to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nativities

  • What is a nativity scene, and who is included in it?

    A nativity scene, also called a creche, depicts the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Most sets place Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus at the center, surrounded by some combination of shepherds, angels, animals such as an ox, donkey, or sheep, and the three wise men. Piece counts vary widely across the collection, from a compact Holy Family of three figures and other small manger scenes up to fuller sets that add the shepherds, animals, and kings.

  • How do you set up and arrange a nativity scene?

    Start with the manger holding the infant Jesus at the center, with Mary and Joseph on either side turned inward. If Mary is holding the infant Jesus, place her and Joseph in the center together. Set the shepherds and animals nearby, place angels above or behind the stable, and position the wise men off to one side, since tradition holds that they arrived later. Many families leave the manger empty until Christmas Eve and move the wise men a little closer each day until Epiphany. There is no single correct arrangement, so let the space and your own tradition guide it.

  • When should you put out a nativity, and when do you put it away?

    Many households set the nativity out at the start of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas, add the infant on Christmas Eve, and leave the scene up through Epiphany on January 6, when the wise men are traditionally understood to have arrived. Some families extend that to Candlemas on February 2, which closes the Christmas season in older practices.

  • What are SERRV's nativity sets made from, and where do they come from?

    Each handmade nativity set from SERRV is made in the materials and visual traditions of its region: hand-carved wood from Indonesia; soapstone from Kenya; terracotta from Peru, Nepal, and Bangladesh; olive wood from the West Bank; arpillera textile applique from Peru; felted wool from Nepal; and upcycled metal from Haiti. That range is one of the reasons why no two sets in the collection resemble one another.

  • How do I choose a nativity set?

    Begin with where it will sit. Matchbox and miniature sets suit a shelf, a desk, or a mantel, while larger multi-figure sets anchor a table or an entryway. Then choose by material and mood: carved wood and soapstone read quiet and modern, while terracotta, textile, and hand-painted pieces bring color and folk-art detail. Prices run from about $14 to $115, and many collectors add one set from a new country each year.

  • Are SERRV's nativities handmade and fair trade?

    Yes. Every nativity is handmade by an artisan partner group and purchased on fair trade terms, so makers earn fair, reliable income for skilled work. SERRV is a women-led nonprofit founded in 1949 and a member of the Fair Trade Federation, which means a nativity bought here directly supports the community that made it.

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