My Grandmother's Nativity Set

My grandmother was a very talented artist in many mediums, oil, ceramic, sewing,crafts, and ingenuity. For many years, she worked tirelessly on this nativity set. It is made of ceramic, but each piece is hand painted in oils. I can remember it being at her workstation for several years. It took her quite sometime to actually complete the entire set.

My grandmother was a nurse, who worked 3-11 shift daily. During the mornings, she worked in her gardens, washed clothes,ironed,cooked and all of her other household duties. She would steal a few minutes at a time to work on these pieces. After she passed away, I inherited them. There was also a creche that she handmade, but someone took it from her home, before I could retrieve it. I am thankful that I have the hand painted pieces of her work.

I keep these out all year long to remember her by. They reside in my antique secretary, where I can see them everyday.

I cant tell you what a wonderful and special woman she was. I especially think of her at Christmas time. Her gifts were always handmade, an apron, a painting, something she had crocheted. They were always special and many hours of her precious time went into them. No one was ever left out at her house. If a guest suddenly showed up during the season, she miraculously had a gift for them. She truly lived by the fishes and loaves theory. Even though she possessed little , she gave much and it expanded to fill the need with left overs to share. I cherish this gift of hers above anything I own.

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!