Christmas Nativity Sets: What They Are and Where to Find Them

Italy's culture still has a strong religious component. It is not surprising that Christmas plays such a significant role in Italian traditions. This is not because of the commercialism that you might see in other countries, but for all the right reasons. The spirit of giving and the optimism that anything is possible.

It's therefore not surprising that the nativity set is a major part of Italian Christmas culture.

In the middle of the 13th century, St. Francis created the first outdoor live nativity set in a cave close to Greccio's tiny Italian monastery. The nativity was used by St. Francis to tell the Christmas story to the local population, who were largely uninformed and could not have read it. It must have been very meaningful to the parishioners that all the major characters were played by local people.

The Christmas nativity set was born. Many small Italian villages still have live outdoor nativities. The idea of re-creating an indoor nativity for festive decorations was quickly adopted by western Europe, despite it being originally an outdoor scene. It is one of few Christmas traditions that has survived both time and culture. It's now called the 'creche' in France, the kribbe' in Germany, and the UK the 'crib'. In Italy, it's called the 'presepe' (plural of both being ’presepio).

The Christmas nativity set is a crucial part of any Italian home, from early December to the feast of Epiphany on the 6th of January. Families treat their nativities like family heirlooms that they start collecting as young couples and then add to each year with the hundreds of presepe' figurines purchased in shops and markets across the country, most famously in Rome’s Piazza Navona in November.

Fontanini is the preferred manufacturer of high-quality Italian Christmas nativity sets. It is a family-owned and operated company. The company was established by Emanuele Fontanini, a local businessman, in a small room in Bagni di Lucca in Tuscany in 1908. Fontanini has grown, but it still specializes in hand-painted nativity figurines. It is a great honor to work with them. Some of the best painters in Italy are employed by the company.

Fontanini produces some of the most well-known indoor Christmas nativities. Recently, they have introduced a range of snow globes. A 10" tall, 14" wide set made of a nearly indestructible, child-friendly resin that is hand-painted is one of their most popular.

You can also make beautiful outdoor nativity scenes. These lawn nativities have become increasingly popular in both private homes and in public places such as churches and government buildings. They can hold figures up to 48 inches high and are sculpted with the same Fontanini care to detail. Although the figures aren't cheap, you can buy one piece at a time to make an outdoor nativity set.

It's not enough to have a stable scene. In Italy, a "proper" Nativity is more than just a single scene. With pizza-makers, wine sellers, and electrically-operated water-mills, the scenes quite often spill down a homemade "hillside", each little scenario telling the story of life carrying on while a miracle is happening close by.

Fontanini Christmas Nativity/Crib Sets make great gifts for young couples. It's not only for Christmas but also for weddings and anniversaries. The nativity is a family tradition that becomes part of every year's family activities, with some of the figures being collectible. It is a treasured reminder of the family's Christmas traditions.