Blue Monday – Book, The Night of the Child

Blue Monday is a delightful weekly feature sponsored by Sally at Smiling Sally.

For today’s post I’ve chosen a lovely book which had a blue and gold dust jacket and a blue cloth cover that is sprinkled in gold. The title is The Night of the Child: Photographs from the Upper Room Museum Nativity Collection, published by the Upper Room Books in Nashville, Tennessee.

The text by Robert Benson is an amazing collection of brief essays exploring the significance of various aspects of the nativity of Jesus. It is accompanied by photographs from the nativity collection in the Upper Room Museum, located in Nashville.

Here is a quotation from the author which describes the work of creating nativity scenes.
“We have taken the essence of the story—a manger, a mother, a father, a child—wnd we do our best. We paint it on bowls and plates and canvases. We fashion it out of clay and wood and straw and glass. We sculpt it, mold it, twist it, tap it, whittle it out of something in an attempt of make a reminder for ourselves and a starting point for someone else.”

Here are a few pages from this inspiring book:


Some of my favorite photos show examples of the Baby Jesus from various sets:

The Upper Room website has this information about the musuem:
“Visitors also enjoy The Upper Room Museum, whose permanent collection reflects the international, interracial, and interdenominational nature of The Upper Room. In December and January, the museum exhibits The Night of the Child, collection of nativity scenes, with over one hundred renditions from cultures around the world.”

Enjoy more Blue Monday at Sally’s blog, Smiling Sally.

Show and Tell Friday – New Pop-Up Nativity

In November I shared a pop-up nativity book in this post.

Last month my middle sister informed me that I would love one of my Christmas gifts from her, and she couldn’t wait until I opened it. It was very special – a fold-out or pop-up nativity.

Here is the description from the back of the box:
"A fold-out, three-dimensional nativity scene with dramatic changing wheels, brilliant watercolor illustrations by Bradley H. Clark, and a pull-out panel retelling the timeless Christmas story."
It is copyright 1994 by Wild Honey, A Division of Ottenhiemer Publishers, Inc. for Victor Books.

This is the front cover, with its gilt ribbon ties.:


With the front flaps opened, we see the title, "Holy Night: An Illuminated Nativity Story With Fold-out Creche":

With the creche folded out:

The two side flaps, left and right:

It is a beautiful gift for a nativity scenes collector, don’t you think?

Thank you for stopping by today. See more Show and tell Friday treasures at Kelli’s blog, There is No Place Like Home.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Angel Hair Pasta

I'd like to share a recipe from Jeff Smith’s Book, The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas.* This cookbook was listed in my post, “Books About Nativity Scenes.”

In the front of the book are recipes which go along with one character in the nativity story. Here is a recipe in honor of the angels:

“Angel Hair Pasta with Whipped Cream and Porcini”

Serves 4-6

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped shallots
¾ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
½ pint (1 cup) whipping cream
¾ pound angel hair pasta
¼ cup grated Parmesaan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

“Place the porcini in a small bowl and add ½ cup warm water. Allow to soak 45 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Heat a large frying pan. Add the oil and shallots, and saute a minute. Add the fresh mushrooms and saute until tender. Chop the porcini coarsely and add to the frying pan, along with the reserved liquid. Simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate the whpped cream until the past is cooked. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain well. Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the mushroom mixture, cheese, whipped cream, and salt and pepper to taste.
Using a large spatula, fold all of the ingredients together. Do this quickly, yet carefully, so that the whipped cream doesn’t collapse entirely. You may want to save a bit of the whipped cream to dollop on top of the pasta as a garnish. Serve immediately.”

For more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday recipes please go to Blessed With Grace, hosted by Lisa.

*The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas: The History of the Season’s Traditions, With Recipes for the Feast by Jeff Smith. Photographed by Louis Wallach. Woodcuts by David Frampton. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., c1991.
297 p. illus. Hardcover. Recipe is on p. 39.

Pop-Up Nativity Book

For a subject such as a nativity scene, a pop-up book is an excellent device. I have several in the collection. This is the latest one:

This is the cover, and as it indicates, the pop-up nativity scene is based on the paintings of the old masters.

When the book is opened it forms the nativity scene which measures about 24 1/2 x 15 x 12 inches.

Thanks for stopping by and do visit more show and Tell at Kelli’s blog, There is No Place Like Home.

Selected Vintage Books About the Nativity

This post takes part in the Vintage Thingies Thursday sponsored by Lisa at An Apron a Day.



Here are a few vintage books from the Carola Nativity Gallery’s collection of Christmas books.

The first book is titled, No Room in the Inn by William Allen Knight. Boston: The Pilgrim Press, 1910.

It seems that this book was given as a Christmas gift the year it was published. It is inscribed, "For Miss Donohue/ December 1910/ With much love/ The Birchis"

Published by the Pilgrim Press in Boston on September 1, 1910, it was printed at the Plimpton Press in Norwood, Massachusetts. The front cover is embellished in gold and silver. The endpapers are embellished in a silver design.

The frontispiece is a lovely engraving of the holy Family, which is separated from the title page with a sheet of tissue.

Every page has a silver design border.

The oldest of these books is The Nativity In Art And Song: Its Varied Treatment With Pen And Pencil, Ancient And Modern, With Illustrative Notes, Historical And Legendary by W. Henry Jewitt. London: Elliot Stock, 1898.

The binding is in a dark green cloth contrasted with a lighter green and embellished in gilt lettering. The numerous illustrations are drawn after the artwork of various European artists

Here is the frontispiece and the title page with its elaborate design.

Next is Personalities in the Nativity Stories by Andrew Borland. London: Pickering And Inglis, 1965.

Each chapter deals with one of the characters in the story of Jeses’ nativity:
The Virgin Mary,
Joseph - The Carpenter
Elizabeth - Wife of Zacharias
Zacharias, - The Incredulous Priest
Anna - the Godly Widow
Simeon - The Just and Devout
The Magi - Men From the East
The Shepherds – The Men Who Saw
Herod – The Tyrant
The final two chapters deal with the topics of The Virgin Birth and The Nativity Songs

The First Christmas by Denis O’Shea, Canon of the Holy Sepulcher. Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company, 1952.

It is illustrated with black and white photographs taken in the Holy Land.

Our last title is a little gift book published by the Peter Pauper Press.
The Story of the Nativity in Wood Engravings, The Text Taken From The King James Version of the Holy Bible; Wood Engravings by Boyd Hanna. Mount Vernon: The Peter Pauper Press, [1949]

One of the wood engravings shows Elizabeth and Mary greeting each other.

Each of these books focusses on the story which brings to us each year the most joyous of holiday seasons. Do take time to read all about it!

To see more vintage treasures, please visit Lisa at An Apron A Day for a list of participating posts.

Books About Nativity Scenes

In this post I’ll share several of the books in the collection. These titles deal with the nativity scene as a subject, i.e., as an artifact depicting the story of Jesus’ birth. Another post will cover my books which tell the story of Christ’s birth.

First I’d like to share a book which relates the story of the first nativity scene.

The Living Nativity: The Story of Saint Francis and the Christmas Manger by Helen Haidle. Illus. by David Haidle. Honor Books, 1998. Hardcover with dust jacket. 32 p. color illus.


The next two books present the history of nativity scenes.


The Christmas Crèche: Treasure of Faith Art & Theater by Matthew Powell, O.P. Boston, MA: Pauline Books & Media, c1997.
156 p. illus. Hardcover

Nativity: Crèches of the World. Leslie Piña and Lorita Winfield. Photography by Leslie & Ramón Piña. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., c2000.
144 p. illus. 537 color photos. Hardcover


"Artisans from more than forty countries on five continents are represented, each with beautiful expressions of the greatest story ever told, often with photographs from the country of origin to accompany the artwork. Whether sculpted in clay, carved from wood, painted, woven, or cast, these Crches from around the world are sure to enhance holiday celebrations and illustrate the universality of the Christmas message."



The book below focusses on ethnic nativity scenes produced in the southwestern United States.

Nacimientos: Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans by Guy and Doris Monthan. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Avanyu Publishing Inc., c1990.
93 p. Text in English, German and Spanish. Illus. Paperback.


The next two books present the creche collections of two different collectors.


The Christmas Creche by Elaine Cannon. Bookcraft Publications, 1998
Hardcover, n.p. 8 H x 10 W.

"Story of the nativity of Jesus, illustrated with photos of nativity scenes (cráeches) from the collection of Holly Zenger."

Art of the Creche: Nativities from Around the World by James L. Govan. London, New York: Merrell, 2007.
Hardcover.


This book presents the great variety of nativities to be found around the world, as collected by the author and his late wife.


The three titles that follow showcase the famous Neapolitan Nativity scene of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The Nativity: Christmas Creche. Photographed by Lee Boltin. Doubleday, 1969.
66 p. illus.

The volume presents photos of the Neapolitan nativity at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Loretta Hines Howard Collection.

The Angel Tree: A Christmas Celebration. Linn Howard and Mary Jane Pool. Photographs by Elliott Erwitt. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, c1993.
88 p. illus. Hardcover.

"The 109 photographs reproduce in breathtaking detail the extraordinary collection of 18th-century Neapolitan Baroque creche figures."

The Nativity: Adapted from an Eighteenth-century Neapolitan Christmas Creche by Borie Svensson. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, c1981.

This hardcover book contains a fold-out nativity based on the Neapolitan crèche given to the museum by Loretta Hines Howard. It unfolds to nearly 3 feet, depicting three-dimensional scenes from the Christmas Story - the Nativity, Annunciation to Shepherds, and Arrival Three Kings.

Finally, a special cookbook combines the nativity tradition with festive cooking.

The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas: The History of the Season’s Traditions, With Recipes for the Feast by Jeff Smith. Photographed by Louis Wallach. Woodcuts by David Frampton. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., c1991.
297 p. illus. Hardcover.

Each chapter begins with an illustration of one of the nativity figures in the author’s family nativity set. A recipe dedicated to the character represented by that figurine follows .

What the Collection Includes

The Nativity Scenes Collection is really quite comprehensive, and includes many types of items related to nativity scenes. As a person who enjoys putting things in order, I have cataloged the collection according to the following categories.


Catalogue Sections
I - CRECHE SETS
II – CRECHE FIGURE ORNAMENTS
III – CRECHE ORNAMENTS
IV – CRECHE TABLEAUX
V – CHRISTMAS PLATES
VI – CRECHE WALL ART
VII – CRECHE ITEMS – Xmas postcards, greeting cards, philately,
VIII – CRECHE BOOKS
INDIVIDUAL CRECHE PIECES


Here are brief explanations of the various categories, along with photos to illustrate.

I - CRECHE SETS
There are individual pieces in a set.
This Mexican creche is made up of individual pieces which are moveable.

So is this set of figures made of tree thorn from Nigeria.

II – CRECHE FIGURE ORNAMENTS
These are individual figures meant to be put on a tree as ornaments.
Here a metal ornament tree holds blown glass ornaments made in Poland designed Christopher Radko

These Lladro figures stand but also have a hanger for use as an ornament.


III – CRECHE ORNAMENTS
These composite nativities meant to be hung on a tree as ornaments.
Here is a small wood ornament from China

Another metal tree holds Hallmark ornaments with an Hispanic motif


IV – CRECHE TABLEAUX
These may consist of individual pieces glued down in a stable or on a background; cutout panorama of nativity scene; etc.
This photo shows three Italian nativities. The white one is a creche set, while the other two are creche tableaux.

This retablo from Peru has all the figures affixed within the box, so it is also a creche tableaux

V – CHRISTMAS PLATES
Collector’s plates illustrated with nativity scenes
Behind this creche set from Spain is a Spanish collector’s plate by Santa Clara.

From Germany two plates by Hedi Keller

VI – CRECHE WALL ART
The nativity-themed art includes framed needlework, paintings, prints, or calligraphed scripture. Here is an 1880’s print of a scene by Gustave Dore

A needlepoint nativity scene


VII – CRECHE ITEMS
This category includes paper ephemera such as Christmas postcards, greeting cards, calligraphy, postage stamps; also items like candles, bells, chocolate tins.
Here is a vintage Christmas postcard with a nativity theme

A Porsgrund blue and white mug from Norway


VIII – CRECHE BOOKS
This includes books on crèches; books about the Biblical nativity story; books of illustrations of nativity art.

INDIVIDUAL CRECHE PIECES
These pieces are only parts of a set. The collector is always on the lookout to find missing pieces and complete the set.
For example, these four vintage figures (Joseph and Three Wise Men) do not make a complete set. I hope to find Mary and Jesus to make up a creche set.