Nativity Scene: The Reason for the Season

As a parent, teaching my daughters the significance of Christmas is a responsibility I take seriously. Competing with the commercial noise generated by the retail industry can be a challenge, but not one that intimidates me. This year, I was determined to find fun, age-appropriate ways to engage my children in dialogue about the true meaning of the holiday beginning with a nativity scene.

In searching for the perfect nativity scene, I found myself gravitating towards handmade, simple sets the girls would be able to play with and rearrange while fabricating scripts to their versions of the Christmas pageant. Looking at several nativity sets that were egg-themed, it occurred to me that eggs are the perfect vehicle for conveying the message of Jesus' birth, the egg itself being a symbol of new life.

 I have plenty of blown eggs on-hand, courtesy of my backyard chickens and got busy crafting a nativity scene for my children.

How-to details:

Since the eggs already had holes in each end, I sealed up the bottoms with hot glue, immediately dipping them in sand. This gives the egg some weight on the bottom and seals the bottom hole. I next funneled some sand through the top hole to give the egg some stability.  

Using scraps of material I have around the house, I began folding, hot gluing and dressing the Magi.

You'd never guess that Disney played a role in clothing the Wisemen, would you?

Don't tell my daughters that I upcycled their tattered, Snow White dress, it was for a worthy cause!

Each egg was wrapped in a small piece of material and glued in place.

 I stained some scrap wood with the faux barnwood technique here. My husband then made the barn structure, manger and a simple tray for displaying the nativity scene. 

I filled the base of the tray using the sand we keep for replenishing our coop floors and runs. I decided that sand was going to be the only substrate that would keep the pageant participants standing.  

The star was made by my children from cinnamon, applesauce and glue. Joseph's belt is made from jute and his staff, paper-covered craft wire.

I finished the creche in the wee hours of the morning and was delightfully surprised to find that someone had added their own, special touch to it.  ♥ 

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