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You May Be Surprised by Which Saint Invented the Christmas Nativity Scene
It’s not who you’d expect
In a story I published yesterday debunking five cherished Christmas myths, I included a picture of a Nativity scene (you can read the piece to find out why). Also yesterday, as I was searching for my own Nativity scene so I can hopefully get it set up before January, I started thinking about this most ubiquitous of holiday displays. I felt a little Grinchy about including it among the list of myths, so today I’ll give you something positive to help offset that.
Along with the Christmas tree, one of the most common and enduring Christmas traditions around the world is the Nativity scene (also known as a crèche). You will find them in churches, homes, businesses, outdoor lawn displays, and even among non-Christians. In addition to the typical Mary/Joseph/Baby Jesus ones you expect, I have seen some comical (some would say blasphemous) variations over the years, including a Star Wars-themed one with Baby Yoda in place of the Baby Jesus and one with the Simpsons as the Holy Family.
Sheer crass commercialism aside, the Nativity scene has been a constant at Christmastime for centuries. But how did it start? You may be surprised to learn that it was begun by a saint you already know, and one everyone seems to like: St. Francis of…
