Collecting Vintage Paper Nativity Scenes

Hi there! I have a VERY special blog post for you today. Lora from Lora B. Create & Ponder has agreed to talk with us about collecting vintage paper nativity scenes. She is a gal after my own heart and I know you’re going to love her and her blog.

Like us, she shops garage sales, stops for curb-side treasures, and creates unique junk-y projects, too. She even owned her own vintage shop at one time and has loads of expertise in that area.

I hope you’ll pop on over to her blog and see what she has to offer. While you’re there, tell her I sent you, and why not take a minute to subscribe to her blog and follow her social media channels? I’m sure she would really appreciate it.

My Related posts:
Collecting Vintage Christmas Decorations
Collecting Vintage Christmas Tree Pins
Vintage Deer Collectibles

Enjoy Lora’s post:

Nativity and manger scenes are precious pieces of history. They have taken on many forms through the years from wooden or composite figurines tucked into rustic hay-roofed mangers to yard-friendly plastic figures, emanating light on dark nights.

Today I’m sharing a more easily stored version that is fun to collect and decorate with, those made of paper. I’ll be sharing two different versions of these scenes and telling you more about each one. They’ve been lovingly used and are not perfect, but are a great compliment to my resin, three-dimensional nativity manger set.

History Behind “The Christmas Story” Paper Nativity Scene

The brightly colored “Christmas Story” box (above left) dates to 1952. It was manufactured in America by Warner Press, which is still in existence.

Known originally as The Gospel Trumpet Publishing Company, Daniel Sydney Warner established it in 1881. Warner Press is the publishing arm of the Church of God Reformation Movement, and through the years it has offered many Christian gift and stationery items from its headquarters in Anderson, Indiana.

“The Christmas Story” paper nativity manger scene measures 11″ x 9 1/4″ and consists of an erectable stable with sixteen figures. The gift box also included a spiral bound storybook to read to your children. I’ve unfortunately misplaced the book; the stable and figures are more fun to decorate with anyway.

The foldable stable and figures contain letters and slots that allow you to insert the tabs to set up the whole scene. Of course with use some of the tabs and paper pieces show wear, but that’s to be expected if you use it to fulfill its purpose: telling children about the holy night.

[Diana’s note: I love that these images reflect real humans rather than cartoon-ish characters. It opens up all kinds of decorating possibilites!] 

In this photo you see the stable and all of the figures fully set up with votive candles and greenery.

Value and Decorating Ideas

Currently on eBay “The Christmas Story” ranges in value anywhere from $9.50-$135.00. Condition would be a big factor in its value, along with the presence of the additional spiral bound storybook.

More than monetary value, I enjoy this set for it’s Christmas decorating options. Rather that setting up the whole scene, I usually put the main players in the stable and then spread the other characters around.

I’ve used clothespins to clip them to a lighted wreath to hang near the stable. I use battery-powered candles tucked around the figures to give the scene a holy night glow. Fairy lights can also be woven throughout.

History Behind the Pop-up Paper Nativity Scene

The second paper nativity scene in my collection is a 3-D pop-up creche. The words in the bottom corners of the piece hold the clues to its origin.

Artist Vojtech Kubasta (1914-1992) created this beautiful piece in the middle of the last century (1940-50). Born in Vienna and raised in Prague, he went to school for architecture but began his artistic journey soon after. He started illustrating books in the 1940’s.

When Czechoslovakia nationalized the country’s publishing, Kubasta began designing advertising materials for many Czech products abroad. He created  three dimensional cards for many products.

Every Christmas he designed and illustrated a new nativity scene in a traditional Czech setting. If you look closely at this scene, you can see vintage European buildings and characters along with the traditional manger scene. 

The back of the card features the famous Austrian hymn “Silent Night.”

Kubasta’s works are highly sought after by collectors, and have been featured in several exhibits and by Martha Stewart Living. In the 1950’s he transitioned to fairy tale pop-up books and was instrumental in the rise in popularity of 3-D books.

Value and Decorating Options

Kubasta’s 3-D pop up creche is currently valued at between $42-$249.00. Condition is an important factor in establishing value, for example, the arched windows originally held yellow cellophane that is missing from my example.

I find these pop up paper nativity manger scenes enchanting. With battery-operated candles and/and fairy lights, you can enjoy them even more. To keep the pop-up card open, I clothespin the back flap to faux greenery. Then I tuck a fake candle in the space behind it so it emanates out from the arched windows. 

Fairy lights woven throughout the layers, as seen here, look pretty, too. Don’t you just want to shrink yourself and enter the scene? Getting down to child’s height is how you can best enjoy it to the fullest!    

I hope you enjoyed learning more about vintage paper nativity scenes. Maybe you’ll take notice of them the next time you are out treasure hunting. They are definitely a beautiful vintage item to add to your Christmas decor.

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As I mentioned at the start, Lora blogs at Lora B. Create & Ponder. Her blog is filled with all sorts of vintage styling and repurposing, and I know you will LOVE it. I hope you’ll show her some love by popping on over for a visit. And please follow her on social media and subscribe to her blog.

Some of Lora’s posts that you might enjoy:
Feedsacks, Floursacks, or Grain Sacks? Is there a difference?,  
10 Ways to Decorate a Vintage Sled,
12 Vintage Repurposed Junk Ideas for Christmas

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