AP Wooden Nativity?

[Teresa]

Ok, so I've been looking and looking for a nativity set/creche that is 'just right.'
I want it to be wooden.
I want it to have both three kings & royal transport and humble shepherds & sheep.
And a donkey.
I want Joseph & Mary to be brunette (think of Jane Ray's illustrations)
Most importantly. . .
I want Mary to be holding her baby!
(I really dislike the idea of all these strangers staring at baby Jesus plonked down in a little 'manger')
Any ideas short of taking up whittling?

[Meiri]

I've yet to see a commercial one in which Mary is holding, let alone nursing(which is what I'm holding out for) Jesus. I find this odd because there are Renaissance statues and paintings of Mary nursing, etc.

One year I painted matreshka style nesting dolls into Nativities for my Christian siblings and parents. Mary nursing Jesus was the biggest doll, and thus a Madonna and Child piece on its own for most of them. For my brother who does woodworking I put Joseph on the outside doll.

I've been keeping my eyes open for Years. I think you might need to get your whittling knife out.

[lilyka]

I found one (of all places ) at K-Mart with Mary holding the baby. I absolutely refuse to buy anything with Jesus laying in a feed trough in a pile of hay. DD brought home a thing from Sunday school with Jesus laying on a blanket on a bed of hay and Mary was laying beside him stroking him. It was quite beautiful and more likely the sort of scene you would have seen if Jesus was just laying around anywhere.

So, despite my rant, I have no suggestions for you. Veggie tales has a really cute nativity scene. Totally not AP but darn tootin cute though. ALso there is a cute wodden one in the Love to Learn catalouge (www.lovetolearn.com) for like $8. Jesus is in the hay and I can't remember if any of the other details were right either but it is very kid friendly (MIL has one for my girls to play with).

[meister31]

I got a catalog--actually many yesterday 'tis the season! and it had a child's wood nativity block set in it def. for kids here is the site if you want www.constplay.com

[Shantimama]

We have a very simple hand-carved wooden Nativity that a local artisan made. Mary is in a sitting position as she rides on a donkey throughout Advent. On Christmas morning she is lying down in the hay beside Jesus, snuggled so close that it looks like they are nursing.

[SonjaG]

I am collecting a nativity scene from Simpich Character Dolls. They are out of Colorado Springs. I've included a link below

Mary is definitely holding Jesus, and all the hair is brunette. It has the ornate kings and stuff (including camels made of some special wood from Israel), and the humble shepherds and their animals. The dolls are unique and handmade. You can even have your choice of clothes color for Mary and Joseph. Each piece is sold individually, and quite pricy, with Mary and Jesus being one piece. The only thing is, the dolls themselves aren't wooden.


http://www.simpich.com/catalog/nativ.htm

[Super Pickle]

Teresa,
Do you know if you have a Ten Thousand Villages store in your city? It's a business run by the Mennonites which provides villagers in develpoing countries with a way of making an income.... Anyway, they have lovely wooden handcarved Nativities from around the world although I couldn't tell you whether Mary would be holding her baby or not. It might be worth checking into though...

[javamama]

ten thousand villages

I was going to make the same recommendation!

[LIBRAS MOM]

Hi I was just looking at a catalog called Goosefeathers.They have a hand carved nativity set. Mary is holding baby Jesus. Also , the set includes Joseph, a shepard h olding a lamb a donkey and two sheep. for $ 59.95. WILLOW TREE NATIVITY SET. online address is gooseberrypatch.com the phone number is 1 800 854 6673. peace.

[Teresa]

There were 2 wooden sets in the Marshall Fields catalog that came yesterday.
One specifically for children, but not attractive to me at all.
Unfortunately in both sets baby Jesus was plonked down.
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone!
I know the right one is out there somewhere.

[Beck]

Okay, this isn't wooden, but I do think they're beautiful: http://worldmall.com/kannon/nativ29.htm

Also check out: http://worldmall.com/kannon/family4.htm