About the Apex, NC Christmas Nativity

The History of Nativity Scenes

The History of Nativity Scenes

One of the oldest and most treasured Christmas traditions around the world is the displaying of a nativity scene, or crèche. A crèche is a three-dimensional artistic representation of the birth of Jesus, usually with the infant Jesus in a manger, surrounded by figures of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, animals, and the wise men. The crèche was not always comprised of small, motionless figurines. In fact, the original nativity set was live, with people dressed as Mary and Joseph and real animals used in the barn. The first live nativity sets were said to be created by St. Francis of Assisi in the 12th century. This tradition spread from Italy to Germany and eventually throughout all of Europe and beyond. Traditionally the sets were displayed at the front of medieval churches and temples. Eventually, artists began carving these images into wood or making them out of straw, and when the nativity sets moved to other countries, other materials were used such as stone and ivory. Whether called the Italian presipio, the German krippe, the Spanish nacimiento, the English crib, or the Polish szopka, each crèche reflects the artist's culture, time, and a reverence for the Savior Jesus Christ - the Son of God - whose birth we rejoice in this Christmas season and always.

The 9th Annual Apex Christmas Nativity Celebration celebration is open for all members of the community to both visit and participate in. It is a free public event sponsored by the Apex Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Community members are invited to contribute nativity scenes for exhibit, enjoy the many musical performances by groups from the community, and join in the Messiah sing-in on Saturday evening.

A World of Nativities

For the past two millennia, people of all walks of life have been touched by the mission and love of Jesus Christ. As testament to that fact, exhibitors from throughout the Triangle who represent many faiths loan their treasured nativities for the exhibit. Each nativity scene offers a unique representation of the birth of Christs, reflecting the culture and perspective of artists around the world.

Nativities displayed 600+
Number of exhibitors 100+
Countries/Areas represented 34+
Types of Materials used 55+

Countries or Areas Represented in Past Exhibits

Argentina, Austria, Bethlehem, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Peopleâ€™s Republic of China, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America, and The West Bank.

Materials Used in Nativity Scenes in Past Exhibits

Acrylic, bamboo, beads, brass, bread dough, candles, canvas, cardboard, ceramic, chocolate, clay, coconut shell, corn husk, crochet, cross-stitch, crystal, ebony, embroidery, enamel, etched glass, fabric, felt, glass, gold, gourds, Italian porcelain, ivory, lace, linen, mahogany, metal, moss, needlework, oak, oil paint, olive wood, paper, papyrus, pine, plastic, pewter, plaster of Paris, porcelain, quilted, resin, rocks, seashells, stained glass, stone, tapestry, terra cotta, tin, Venetian glass, volcanic lava, wax, wood and yarn.

To learn more about the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visit Mormon.org.