Christmas Crèche

Look at Christmas cards, paintings from the early Renaissance, and contemporary carvings to find images of nativity scenes from various cultures and times. A traditional Christmas crèche depicts Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a barn or stable. Shepherds and barnyard animals look on. Wise men and angels are shown in adoring positions. A star is often in the sky.

Use Crayola® Scissors to cut out a manger, using the fold of a file folder as the bottom. Make supports for the manger with file folder tabs. Glue them in place with Crayola School Glue. Dry.

Use a large portion of a file folder to create a stable roof. On one side of the folder, draw lines for boards with Crayola Multicultural Markers. Draw wood-grain patterns using Crayola Washable Super Tips Fine Line Markers. Fill spaces with brown Crayola Washable Marker.

Cover your work area with newspaper. Spread marker colors with a damp Crayola Paint Brush for a woody effect. Dry.

Glue the bottom of the roof to the back edge of a shoe-box lid. Cut file-folder strips and connect them to the front of the roof. Glue these strips to the front sides of the box to support the roof.

Draw and cut out shepherds, animals, three wise men, Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, and angels from more file folders. Fold some figures at their knees, to show them kneeling. Decorate your figures and furnishings with markers. Glue characters, manger, and

Cut brown and yellow construction paper into thin strips and crumple to make straw bedding for the manger and stable floor.

To finish your crèche, shape the end of a chenille stick into a star. Coat it with multicolored Crayola Glitter Glue. Dry. Glue the bottom of the stick to the back of the roof, so the star is suspended over the crèche. Dry.