For centuries, the birth of Jesus has been depicted by cultures and countries on nearly every continent.

In fact, 2023 marks 800 years since the very first nativity scene was created in a small village in Italy. According to the National Catholic Register, St. Francis of Assisi, one of the world’s most beloved saints, created the nativity scene in 1223, likely inspired by time he spent in Jerusalem between 1219 and 1220.

“Seeing the holy sites of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection made them feel all the more real,” according to a December 2022 article by Hannah Brockhaus, “and he wanted to recreate that experience.”

Since then, other cultures have followed suit, with each nativity scene bearing its own special details that make it unique from others.

A centuries-old art

Every nativity set’s basic components are the same – figurines of Joseph, the Christ child’s Earthly father; Mary, his mother; and the newborn Christ. Beyond that, most sets include other figures from the story of Jesus’ birth, such as the three wise men bearing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; barnyard animals (though none are mentioned in the Bible, one can assume some were present); and an angel only referred to in the Bible as “an angel of the Lord.” These figurines may be standing in a space designed to act as the manger in which Jesus was born.

One prominent vendor that has sold handmade nativity sets for nearly three decades is Pennsylvania-based Yonder Star (www.yonderstar.com). The merchant sells a variety of sets in many different styles, from cherry wood sets to those made of aluminum, from those smaller sets one can display in their home to larger outdoor sets that can be viewed by passersby.

The tradition of live nativity scenes, in which participants pose as Joseph, Mary, and the wise men, has existed in churches for decades and been a draw for houses of worship throughout the country.

Collecting for a cause

Though nonprofit organizations and fair-trade businesses are known to sell nativities made in developing countries, one family is doing their part to support the artists who craft these pieces as well. In Utah, the Hyde family collects Nativity sets made in African, Asian, and Latin American countries. They sell some of the Nativities on their website, www.worldnativity.com.

“While contemplating what we could do as a family project to teach our children about charity and serving others, we had a very inspired thought,” Garrick and Ginger Hyde explain on the website. “We started buying Nativity scenes from artisans in developing countries as a means of helping the artisans generate income in a way that preserved their dignity. We thought we might buy a few Nativities, but now we have many.”

What started as a small project quickly grew into a business designed to help lift up those artisans, with the Hyde family selling Nativity scenes on their site.

“Along the way, we started buying extra Nativities from artisans around the world,” Garrick and Ginger write. “We sold the extras to our interested friends. We thought it would be a small project, but the response has been so high that we have sold more than 10,000 nativities from hundreds of artisans since 2005. Profits are given 100 percent to humanitarian ​causes and micro-credit projects in developing countries that benefit children and low-income adults. … The lives of these artisans are dramatically improved from the additional income.”

The true meaning of Christmas

Such a story embodies the meaning of the season – helping your fellow man by engaging in charitable acts and thus becoming closer to God.

“The Nativity scene has always captivated people around the world,” explains the Franco family, another Italian merchant that specializes in Nativity sets. “Jesus was born by a simple woman and as son of a poor family. The poverty and the natural birth of God’s son enabled people to feel that he was one of them. They could identify with him.”

And according to Wellspring Christian Ministries, no matter the country in which a Nativity set is made, no matter their differences, the meaning behind each of these works of art is the same.

“In spite of the discrepancies depicted in most nativities and the Biblical account, the most important thing about a nativity is its message to the world,” the site states. “Because our sin requires a perfect sacrifice before a holy and just God, our Heavenly Father sent His own Son to earth as a man so that He could become that sacrifice.