When Christmastime is upon us, people enjoy publicly displaying decorations expressing their holiday cheer. Outdoors, in front of homes and businesses and churches, you might find brightly lit Christmas trees and evergreen wreaths on doors. There may be jaunty snowmen or oversized inflatable candy canes. You are likely also to run across beautiful outdoor Nativity sets displayed by those who cherish the religious foundation of the season.
The first outdoor Nativity scene featuring the newborn Christ child in a manger was instituted in the year 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi. Visiting the town of Greccio, Italy, he wanted to inspire the villagers with the closest thing to the sacred event that he could offer. Villagers were recruited to play the Holy Family, the shepherds, and the magi. Live animals were gathered around the manger. Those who witnessed this living diorama stood in awe.
Word of this striking spectacle quickly spread throughout Italy and the rest of Europe, and so a beloved tradition was born. Today, outdoor Nativity sets can inspire those who see them with their own awe and sense of reverence. You can learn more about the inspirational first Nativity scene in this short video:
When shopping for your Nativity set for out-of-doors, you would certainly want to find one that best suits your needs and purposes. There are several important factors to consider:
Aesthetics
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Each of us has our preference when it comes to appearance, whether it be clothing, automobiles, or Christmas decorations such as an outdoor Nativity set. The visual appeal of the set is an important consideration.
In addition to appearance, another thing you should consider is the space on which you would place your set. The size of the display area will help you determine your choice.
Ease of Use
The level of difficulty involved in setting up the scene is also an important factor to bear in mind. So, too, might be the part of the Christmas story on which you care to focus. Maybe you prefer to keep it simple and make the display be all about the Holy Family alone, with Christ in the manger. Maybe you would want to feature the Holy Family as well as some of the animals in attendance. Or perhaps you would favor a reverent display that offers the Christmas story as a whole, with the Holy Family, animals, shepherds, angels, and wise men. Regardless of what you choose, your outdoor Nativity set will be a reminder as to the original meaning of Christmas.
Durability
Christmas is not celebrated exclusively in snowy regions (even if many Christmas cards might suggest otherwise). Indeed, in the southern hemisphere, Christmas falls at the beginning of their summer! Therefore, your outdoor Nativity set should be durable enough to withstand any kind of weather, be it freezing temperatures and heavy snows that could warp the figures, or hot and cloudless days that could cause the paint on the set’s figures to sun-bleach. Heavy winds will likely tip over figures that are made of lightweight material, so those will have to be anchored in some way. If there are children around, they may be tempted to “ride” a sheep or donkey. In that event, make sure your outdoor Nativity set is sturdy enough to handle it.
Storability
Seasons are just that—seasonal. And so are the decorations that accompany them (though, as we all know, some folks keep decorations up all year!) Most people will need to be able to easily store their outdoor Nativity sets when the holiday is over. Keeping in mind your usable space for this purpose, you should check the sizes of the figures before buying. You could even determine whether the figures can be disassembled for out-of-season storage and safekeeping.
The good news is that there is a variety of outdoor Nativity sets from which to choose. Whichever display configuration you select, it will add a lovely, inspirational holiday touch for you, your family, and those who happen to pass by at Christmas.
