Many of us are already busy making Christmas ornaments, decorations and plans. For people who make their own Christmas things extra time is needed before the holidays. There’s one thing you can make that will impress your friends and family and will become a cherished family heirloom. The craft is inexpensive and fun to create.
Using a cardboard box anyone can make a nice nativity scene. Use a large box to make a scene that can set on a table in an entryway or a tiny box that can become a nativity scene ornament. The choice is up to you. Before you start making either, though, you’ll need the nativity scene characters. Purchase them from a dollar theme store or go all-out on a set of nativity scene figurines from a craft store. The amount of money you invest on this craft is your personal choice.
Use any cardboard box to create the scene. Keep in mind that the figures should be proportionate to the box itself. If the box has a lid or flaps remove them first. Now you’re ready to go on to the next step. Set the box where the opening is facing yourself. What is now the top of the box must be removed. Cut it off and throw it away.
Take another piece of cardboard and make cut it slightly longer than the piece you threw away. Fold this new piece of cardboard in half to form a “V” shape. Place the “V”, upside down, over the top you cut away. This will form a peaked roof for the nativity scene. Glue the new roof in place and allow to dry thoroughly.
Inside the box you can use spray paint, cloth or even decorative paper to create the walls. Paint or paper the three walls only and leave the “ceiling” and floor bare for now. After the paint dries you’ll create the floor by using raffia. Take a handful of raffia and glue it to the inside bottom of the box. That will be the straw or hay on which the nativity scene will be set.
Set the characters in the scene on the raffia and glue them in place. The manger should be in the center of the box with the other characters standing behind or around it. Add sheep, or other fake animals if you want. If your box is very small you may only want to display the manger, Mary and Joseph. If you have lots of room in your box you can add the wise men and animals. How you set the scene is completely up to you.
After the manger scene is set you have many options for embellishing. Paint a wooden star gold and mount it to the top of the roof. Or, fasten a strand of Christmas lights around the box opening. You can even slip a single light through the backside of the roof, representing starlight shining through the roof.
If you want, you can use empty thread spools, or painted bottle caps, to create legs for the manger scene. If your little box will become an ornament, glue a piece of stretch cord to the roof, mount the golden star on top, then hang on the tree. If you have no star to mount on top glue the stretch cord through the small opening on the back of the roof.
You can choose to paint the outside of the box or even cover it in black velvet. You’ll decide how you want the outside to look. You can even glue wooden slats on the box to make it look more like a barn. The wooden pieces can be found at any craft store and some department stores.
When you’re finished with your cardboard box nativity scene you’ll be surprised at how beautiful it is. You’ll want to display it each and every Christmas in the future and it will become a cherished decor piece in your collection of Christmas decorations.
Reference:
- Purchase nativity scene characters here: www.orientaltrading.com
