Handmade Nativity Sconce - making beautiful religious Christmas articles

At the beginning of January, Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas. Traditionally, for this holiday make a nativity scene, which from the Old Slavonic translates as "cave". It is the center of the holiday and symbolizes the scene from the Gospel - the birth of Jesus in the cave of Bethlehem.

History

The tradition of the nativity scene originated in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi found a forest cave near the village of Greccio, where he organized the first nativity scene using live people and animals. Initially this Christmas attribute was limited to churches, but later the laity learned to make it by hand, and it spread to many homes.

In our homeland, nativity scenes were common from the 18th to the 19th centuries. They came to us from Little Russia, and then they were popularized by the church itself. But later they were suppressed as they began to take on a secular character. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, nativity scenes have been banned, and only recently the tradition has entered our lives again. Some countries in Europe and America have experienced something similar.

Different places present this Christmas decoration in their own way. Italy is known for its theatrical and Neapolitan sumptuous creche. In Germany, where they are called "Krippe," if you stop by a fair, you will find spinning crèches. America, through immigrants, has inherited the European tradition bit by bit.

Synopsis by

Since time immemorial, the crèche has been a field for creativity. They experiment both with manufacturing techniques and materials. Often you can see the use of materials such as ceramics, wood, wax, paper, plastic, metal. But there are simpler options: plasticine, salt dough, felt, polymer clay.

Sometimes unusual materials are used. For example, in Maslovica, Czech Republic, since 2000, the curious can see the nativity scene made of oil. Many people know about gingerbread crèches, but for obvious reasons they prefer to buy them from artisans. This article discusses a variation of exactly your own craft, so you'll find a step-by-step master class at the end.

Variations

In any nativity scene, there are bound to be such characters as the baby Jesus, Joseph and the Virgin Mary. But a great many details are left to your discretion.

For example, it should be remembered that sometimes it is not a particular moment that is depicted, but a set of events. Usually the worship of the shepherds and the Magi. From time to time other subjects can also be seen.

In Orthodoxy it is customary to depict a cave, but the option of a hut is allowed, as the Gospels do not explicitly specify the surroundings.

Speaking of characters, you can add animals, shepherds, wise men, angels and others if you wish.

The nativity scene can be looked at from different angles depending on what it is being made for. If it is conceived to be full-length, such as in a country house, you can try to fit it into the existing vegetation. If it is made for the house, where it is a lasting tradition, more reliable materials will be preferred, so that the structure can be preserved until next year, and so on.

Step-by-step master class

The template for creating a Christmas nativity scene with your own hands looks as follows:

Decide on the materials. Choose in advance the materials that you like and do not cause difficulties in the work.
Think about the surroundings. Take a base - be it cardboard, wire, or something else - and work it with the materials you've already chosen.
Make the main characters. As already mentioned, any creche includes Jesus, Joseph, and the Virgin Mary.
Add other details as desired. If you like, complete the nativity scene with different stories, environmental elements, or characters.

Examples

Crèche made of paper. The easiest thing to work with is paper. Cut out figures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, animals, shepherds, angels, and wise men by finding a ready-made template online. Make a cave out of cardboard and place the figures there, securing the whole structure with glue. Next, choose colors to decorate the Bethlehem cave and glue it with appropriate colored paper.

Vertep made of plasticine. Also an interesting solution would be plasticine. This is not difficult material, in addition, it is familiar to children, so you can entrust the creation of figures to them. If they have trouble, look online, you will find many examples of plasticine crafts, including a crèche. Note that you only need to use a couple of shapes - a circle and an oval. A material interchangeable with plasticine is salt dough.

Vertep out of fabric. If you are willing to take a little more time and can work with felt, this would be a great choice. This kind of crèche is more minimalistic and tidy. Make the dolls based on palm size and add eyes with beads.

If your child needs a crèche for school, for example, the first two solutions - paper or plasticine - work well. They are uncomplicated and children often work with them.