The Story of the Nativity Scene
From a Stable in Bethlehem to Your Living Room — A Buying Guide
Millions of homes put up a small scene on a mantelpiece or windowsill each December — yet very few buyers think about what is actually biblical, what is tradition, and what makes a good nativity set. Before you buy, here's what to know.
What Do the Gospels Actually Say?
Luke's Gospel tells us that Joseph and a pregnant Mary travelled to Bethlehem for a Roman census. Since there was no room at the inn, Mary gave birth in a stable — most likely a limestone cave used for keeping animals, much like one that can still be found today under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The baby was wrapped in clothes and laid in a manger. That night, an angel informed the shepherds about the birth. As Matthew's Gospel relates, later on, the Magi arrived with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That is all the Gospel accounts relate: two parents, a newborn, shepherds and travellers bringing gifts.
Which Figures Are From the Bible, and Which Are From Tradition?
The figures from Scripture are: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the angel, the shepherds and the Magi (although the Bible never states how many Magi there were — this number comes from the three gifts given in Matthew's Gospel, not from a head count). The figures from tradition include: the ox and donkey (from apocryphal writing and Old Testament symbolism), and any midwife or other townsfolk figures that represent later devotional additions, and not the Gospel accounts themselves.
Bethlehem — Where the Craftsmanship Tradition Began
Families in Bethlehem have carved religious objects from the locally available olive wood for generations — a tradition that began with Byzantine monks living close to the Church of the Nativity as early as the 4th century AD. Olive wood is never harvested by felling trees; carvers use pruned branches from winter pruning and storm fallen deadwood. This allows the same groves to provide generations of carvers with material without cutting down a single tree. Fewer than 50 active full-time carving families remain in Bethlehem and Beit Sahour today.
Additionally, Bethlehem's Christian community has declined from approximately 86% in 1947 to less than 10% today — so every hand-carved object provides direct support to families still involved in the trade.
What to Consider When Purchasing Olive Wood
• Smell — authentic olive wood has a subtle, sweet, nutty fragrance; stained pine has a strong odor of varnish.
• Weight — authentic olive wood is heavier than pine but lighter than oak, solid but not overly heavy.
• Grain — irregular, swirling patterns that are unique to each individual object; fakes tend to have uniform, parallel grain.
• Certification — authentic Bethlehem-produced objects are often accompanied by documentation indicating the workshop or a recognized Holy Land Christian organization.
Bethlehem carvers have complained about large quantities of objects stamped “Made in China” being promoted with Manger Square images, or souvenir objects being made of stained pine or balsa rather than authentic Olea europaea.
Olive Wood vs. Resin — Selecting the Right Type
Authentic olive wood is ideal for an heirloom that will be passed down through generations, a wedding or baptism gift, or a home prayer corner — it can last for over a hundred years with minimal care and has true geographic provenance.
Resin nativity sets offer an affordable alternative — they are more resistant to breakage, better suited for homes with young children or outdoor porches, and generally cost less than $25 for compact sets. However, they have a much shorter lifespan (years rather than generations) and no direct connection to the Holy Land.
Many families opt for both: a durable resin set for young children to play with and a smaller genuine olive wood set placed somewhere else in the home.
Shop This Guide
• Bethlehem Olive Wood Nativity Set, Small, 9 Pieces (2.25") — $12.99
• Bethlehem Olive Wood Nativity Set, 12 Pieces (4") — $32.99
• Olive Wood Nativity Set with Figurines, Bark Roof Stable — $24.95
• Bethlehem Olive Wood Nativity Set with Faces, 12 Pieces (5") — $99.99
• Miniature 5-Piece Silver Plated Nativity Set Figurines — $18.95
View the complete collection at: lionofjudahmarket.com/collections/olive-wood-nativity-set
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When did the nativity scene tradition start?
In 1223 AD in Greccio, Italy, St. Francis of Assisi created a live recreation of Christ's birth so that individuals unable to read Latin or travel to the Holy Land could witness the narrative firsthand.
Q2. Which characters in a nativity scene are based upon Scripture and which are from tradition?
Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the angel, shepherds and Magi are derived from Scripture. The ox and donkey — found in nearly every set — are derived from apocryphal literature and Old Testament symbolism, not from Scripture directly.
Q3. Were there actually three wise men?
Scripture does not specify how many wise men there were — the number “three” comes from the three gifts mentioned in Matthew's Gospel (gold, frankincense and myrrh), not from a specific head count.
Q4. What is the fundamental difference between olive wood and resin nativity sets?
Olive wood is solid, sustainably harvested and has authentic Holy Land provenance. It lasts for over a century or more. Resin sets are lighter, less expensive and more resistant to impact; however, they have a shorter lifespan and do not have geographic connections to the Holy Land.
Q5. How do I determine if an olive wood nativity set was truly manufactured in Bethlehem?
Observe the scent (sweet, nutty, not varnish), weight (denser than pine, lighter than oak), grain (irregular and unique) and search for documentation linking the object to a named workshop or Holy Land Christian organization.
