Yet again, Lockdown has thwarted my plans this month – but last year I visited some beautiful and diverse Nativity scenes in churches and shop windows, both in central London and locally. Doesn’t everyone just love a Nativity scene? Part I are the local ones, Part II, Central London, next month.   

Some churches only put baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas Day, which makes sense, but in this scene, only a cow and a few shepherds are there at the moment. This is because Mary and Joseph are still on their way to Bethlehem (but hang on a minute, the shepherds shouldn’t be there either, they only got there after Jesus was born!) The sign just out of the picture says ‘They’ve not arrived at the crib yet – have a look round the church and see if you can find them on their journey.’ This is at the beautiful All Saints, Carshalton, which I visited again in September in the ‘Open House London’ weekend. By the way. I did look around….and found M and J high up on a shelf!   

This is the Nativity in the Oasis Christian Bookshop in Wallington. The shop is a precious local resource as it’s the only independent retailer of its type in the area. The staff are helpful and welcoming, always available for a chat.

The Entertainer is a chain of toyshops which follow Christian principles by not opening on Sundays and giving 10% of their profits to children’s charities around the world. Great to see a Christian retail chain in the UK.

These last pics are from The Salvation Army Church in Carshalton. Just before Christmas they held an Exhibition of more than 100 Nativities from all over the world. Apparently, the church hosts this wonderful display alternate years, I’m so glad it was in 2019 and not this year! Almost impossible to choose my favourites, here are a few…..

These last two pics are of a Nativity completely hand made by one of the Minister’s Grandparents in Switzerland. Apparently, handmade Nativities are a big thing there! It’s beautifully detailed; there are flocks of sheep, shepherds huddled round a fire and some holding lambs, a king on a camel and some kneeling kings. It would look amazing in any church!  

Stop Press, just one more! This paper cut out nativity is on the windows of the Salvation Army in Sutton. The photo was taken on 27^th November 2020, I just had to have one from this year!

Next Month: December, Nativity! Part II