9 Novel Nativities Unlike Any You've Seen Before

Each holiday season, Ten Thousand Villages brings you unique nativities from around the world. Each nativity set is handcrafted in styles that celebrate craft and culture. Check out these 9 to get you started, and peruse the huge selection at Ten Thousand Villages in your local store, or online.

1. Andean Hat Nativity

A traditional Andean hat provides cover for the Holy Family in this nativity scene from Manos Amigos in Peru, our fair trade partner helping small workshops find new markets for their products and supporting health and education in maker communities. The first of our unique nativities, this one’s brown skin tones and beautiful hand-painting in a bright color palette keep it at the top of our list.

2. Albesia Wood Nativity

The Albesia Wood Nativity is beautifully hand-carved by artisans working with our fair trade partner, Pekerti Nusantara, which provides advance payments and access to loans for makers to invest in materials and equipment. Each of the 9 pieces is loving carved and painted by hand.

3. Serenity Nativity

Handcrafted in Bangladesh, the Serenity Nativity is a traditional diorama of the Christmas story. Made of terracotta with intricate details carved in, then painted to resemble an antiqued finish. The cutout in the back of the stable leaves a perfect spot to place a battery operated candle for a warm glow.

4. Starlight Nativity

Enjoy a silent night by the fire with the Starlight Nativity. This iron nativity from India is simple yet stunning; boasting a tea light tray for use with flame or battery operated candles to cast a festive glow and a beautiful shadow.

5. Llama Night Nativity

This shelf-sitting nativity scene imagines the wisemen caravanning to the Holy Family on llamas. They ride through a village of white homes to find the Christ child who is nestled beneath the guiding star with Mary and Joseph. The Llama Night Nativity is a playful reimagining of the Christmas story. Made of ceramic, this is one of our many unique nativities handcrafted in Peru.

6. Night Arch Nativity

The Night Arch Nativity is also beautifully hand‐carved and painted by artisans working with our fair trade partner Pekerti Nusantara in Indonesia, which provides advance payments and access to loans for makers to invest in materials and equipment.

7. Hand-Carved Wooden Nativity

The Hand‒Carved Wooden Nativity is an heirloom piece that will be loved by future generations. The albesia wood used to carve this nativity is sustainably harvested for craft use by our artisan partner Mitra Bali, committed to protecting the natural beauty and resources of Indonesia. We always have hand-carved wood options in our unique nativities selection—this is just one sampling of this incredible craftsmanship. Look for our others!

8. Cozy Sheep Nativity

This ceramic Cozy Sheep Nativity set features Mary wrapped in a red shawl with gold trim, Joseph wrapped in a burnt orange shawl with a gold staff, baby Jesus wrapped in a white swaddle and two cozy sheep to look after the babe. The textured shawls, swaddle and sheep’s wool are all details that make this simple nativity so charming. Handcrafted in Peru.

9. Kisii Tree Nativity

This hand-carved kisii stone nativity depicts the story of Jesus’ birth within a snug evergreen tree. The Kisii Tree Nativity is carved from Kisii soapstone, a malleable stone found in Kenya. The master craftspeople who create these carved works of art achieve the satiny finish through multiple stages of sanding, followed by waxing. Each scultpure is unique and crafted with care.

More Unique Nativities!

• 

• 

•