Christmas · The crib
Nativity sets and crib figures for an Irish Christmas
The crib is where Christmas starts in an Irish house. Here is how to choose a nativity set that will come out of the attic every December for the rest of your life.
Why the crib matters
St Francis of Assisi set up the first living crib at Greccio in 1223, so that people could see with their own eyes the poverty into which Christ was born. Eight centuries later, the crib is still how most children first understand Christmas: a stable, a mother and father, a baby in a manger, shepherds who came running and wise men who travelled a long way.
In many Irish homes the crib goes up early in Advent, with the manger left empty. The Infant is laid in it on Christmas Eve or after Midnight Mass, and the Three Kings are moved closer day by day until they arrive on the Epiphany, 6 January — Little Christmas. Children love being the ones to move them.
A good nativity set is one of the few Christmas purchases that genuinely lasts. Buy once, look after it, and it becomes part of the family’s Christmas for decades.
Choosing a nativity set
Decide where it will go first
A crib for a mantelpiece, a hall table or a church porch are three very different sizes. Measure the space, including the depth — a stable with figures spread out takes more room than you expect.
Set or figures?
A complete set gives you a matching group in one go. Individual figures let you build up a crib over the years, adding shepherds, animals or the Kings — a nice way for grandparents to give a piece each Christmas.
Painted resin for most homes
Hand-painted resin is light enough to pack away each January without fear and carries the colours children expect. Wrap each figure separately when you store it.
For a parish or school
Churches and schools usually want larger figures that can be seen from the back of the room. Our page on church statues and schools covers buying for a community.
Order early — and ask us about dates
Christmas is the busiest time of year for carriers in Ireland, and statues have to be packed carefully. Order your crib well ahead of December if you can. We do not publish a Christmas delivery cut-off, because it depends on the piece and where it is going — if you need something by a particular date, ask us before you order and we will give you an honest answer.
Resin is posted anywhere in Ireland for a flat rate per order, with tracking. Marble we deliver ourselves. Free collection in Termonbarry, Co. Roscommon is also available once the order is paid — handy in the last days before Christmas.
Christmas gifts beyond the crib
The Holy Family
The Christmas scene in a single statue, to keep out all year round.
St Joseph with the Child Jesus
A lovely image of the Christmas story from Joseph’s side.
Our Lady
For a mother or grandmother at Christmas.
Holy Family statues
Christmas questions
What is the last day to order for Christmas?
We don’t set one date for everything, because it depends on the piece and the county. Ask us before you order and we will tell you honestly whether it can arrive in time.
When should the crib be set up?
Many families put it up at the start of Advent or on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and leave the manger empty until Christmas Eve. The Three Kings arrive on 6 January.
Can I have the crib blessed?
Yes. Many priests bless cribs, either at home or at a blessing after Mass in Advent — ask your parish.
Can you match a figure to the crib we already have?
Send us a photograph and the height of your figures and we will say honestly whether we can find or make something that fits.
Planning your crib?
Tell us the space you have and when you need it, and we will tell you what fits and whether the dates work.
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