Three Great DIY Nativity Scene Ideas

Nativity scenes are one of the most treasured decorations of the holidays. There are so many ways you can incorporate this beloved tradition into your home, but they are often expensive, breakable or hard to collect all of the pieces.

Below are listed some great do-it-yourself ideas for creating your own one-of-a-kind nativity scene in your home, with just a few simple supplies, and a little quality time spent. These scenes are sure to be beautiful, and easy to keep for years to come.

Create a beautiful silhouette with a printout and black cardstock. If you love the old fashioned look of Victorian-style decorations, something that will add to your garland and cranberries on the staircase is a silhouette nativity scene. Simply print a photo of the scene you would like to shadow, and trace it onto the black cardstock paper. Then cut out your silhouette, and glue it to a light mat background to make it stand out. Choose your favorite black oval frame, and cut the picture to size. After you have made your framed nativity scene, tie a beautiful red ribbon for contrast, and hang by a nail or hook from a light colored wall.

Frame a small nativity scene in color with a bubble glass ornament. An entire scene may not fit inside something as small as an ornament, but you always choose something you love about the scene, such as the baby in the manger or a set of wise men. Or you can make several ornaments to make a complete set to hang together on the tree. Simply have prints made of your favorite scene, and cut them to fit in a custom bubble glass frame that you can get at almost any specialty frame store. Then have it fitted with a ribbon hook and hang from your tree with pride.

For a larger nativity scene, make a shadow box frame into a standing scene. If you already have some nativity figures that you want to display uniquely, try securing them into place within a shadow box frame. The unique shape of rectangular shadow box frames is perfect for three-dimensional objects. You can even add some natural elements such as dried hay to the top for a roof representing the inn and within the frame. Secure your figures with hot glue, or make them movable for reenacting the scene for little ones. If you would rather display it without the risk of tiny hands, you can choose a frame with a glass front to keep it safe.