Complete Christmas Present drawing
Building your own nativity scene: a simple guide for Christmas
A scene depicting the birth of Christ – you only need a few materials and tools if you want to build your ownnativity scene.
Difficulty
easy
Cost
Duration
Displaying a nativity scene is a traditional part of Christmas for many families, just like decorating the Christmas tree. It was common to only find nativity scenes in churches up until the end of the 18th century. Then, in the 19th century, people started displaying them in their homes, as well.
Over time, the designs became more and more elaborate and detailed: The holy family, situated in the stable together with the ox and donkey, was joined by shepherds and sheep, the three wise men bearing their gifts, camels or an elephant and the angel Gabriel. You can often even see whole landscapes replete with trees, bushes, paths, riverways, bridges, carts and fire pits.
Handmade nativity scenes with a personal touch are particularly beautiful. You should first consider the style you want to use for your own nativity scene if you are thinking of building one. Then you need to choose the materials. You will not only find lots of tips and information on how to build a nativity scene in this article, but we will also give you simple step-by-step instructions to create a traditional rural nativity scene that is guaranteed to make the eyes of young and old light up during the coming Advent season!
Our DIY area for Christmas has many more DIY ideas for you, from Christmas table decorations to a fancy DIY Christmas tree. Check out our inspirations for the holiday season with Christmas traditions from around the world.
You need
Tools
Utilities
ruler
pencil
Materials
Glued wood board for the base: 30 x 20 x 2 cm
Glued wood board for the back: 15 x 20 x 1.5 cm
Wooden slat: 120 x 1 x 1 cm
Wooden slat: 250 x 2 x 0.5 cm
Universal screws or nails
Wood glue
Decorative material (moss, bark, plaster of paris, sand, straw, etc.)
L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter
Let’s go! – step-by-step instructions Building your own nativity scene
Check out our simple step-by-step guide to build the basic structure for a rural nativity scene made out of wood in less than an hour – suitable for smaller figurines around 8 cm high.
Before you get started with the project, you can also pick up some useful ideas and information under ‘Planning & Background Knowledge’. Pay attention to occupational health and safety every step of the way to protect yourself and your health, even for projects as easy as this one! Our overview of Safety precautions for DIY projects provides further information.
This diagram shows you the basic view of your future nativity scene.
Have you heard about our 18-volt system yet? It offers a huge variety of devices for many different applications. What makes this project ‘Build your own nativity scene’ so special: You can use the same rechargeable battery for every part of this project. Simply swap out the battery pack, inserting it into a different device that is part of the 18-volt system, and continue to the next step.
Step 1 5
Cutting the individual parts to size
Determine the centre point of the roof pitch at the top edge of the back wall and mark it with the pencil. Measure 10 cm from the bottom edge on each side edge and mark them as well. Connect the two points with the centre point at the top edge.
Use a jigsaw to cut along the lines to make the back wall, and use sandpaper to smooth the edges.
Cut the wooden slat measuring 120 x 1 x 1 cm into a total of ten pieces: 2 x 10 cm, 1 x 18 cm, 1 x 5 cm, 2 x 11 cm, 4 x 13.5 cm.
Cut the wooden slat measuring 250 x 2 x 0.5 cm into 14 pieces each measuring 17.5 cm.
Step 2 5
Assembling the back wall
Use wood glue to attach the back wall flush to the base, leaving a distance of 5 cm on either side. To improve stability, you can nail or screw the back wall to the base with a cordless drill/driver, for example.
Step 3 5
Assembling the front part and side connectors
Assemble the front section of the scene using six of the different sized slats according to the diagram and glue them together. Connect the front section with the four 13.5 cm long slats to the back and glue to the base.
Step 4 5
Assembling the roof
Glue the remaining 14 slats of the roof onto the basic structure, with each one overlapping the next.
Step 5 5
Designing the nativity scene
After allowing the glue sufficient time to dry, you can decorate your DIY nativity scene according to your personal taste. The side and rear walls or even the roof can be covered with bark, for example. A wall coating made of plaster of paris looks very realistic. You can find more information with design ideas under ‘Planning & Background Knowledge’.
Planning & background knowledge Building your own nativity scene
As the days get shorter, you can start thinking about Christmas decorations. By October at the latest, people will be busy sawing, hammering, folding and gluing again, so that the home will shine in Christmas splendour in good time. Maybe you’ve already seen our step-by-step guides for a DIY wooden Advent wreath or a Christmas star made of coat hangers?
A nice project for holiday season is also building or handcrafting a nativity scene. You won’t require any special tools or expensive materials. It’s even a good way to get your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews involved in the preparations for the holiday season. Speaking of children, are you still looking for great Christmas presents? Just make them yourself. For example, you could build your own play kitchen, football goal or flying wooden animal.
Tips
Perfect imperfection
Perfection is not important when you’re building a nativity scene. It doesn’t matter if your stable is a bit crooked later on. After all, its special charm comes from the old, slightly dilapidated appearance.
The most popular types of nativity scenes – from alpine to the Orient
One thing before we get started: There is no one true nativity scene. Rather, over the years, different types in terms of the exterior design, the actual setting, the materials used or the figurines have emerged. Check out a range of curious Christmas traditions from around the world. The following types of nativities can be found in the living rooms of Germany:
- Manger: An open stable in which the figurines are displayed. A manger-style nativity scene is very easy to build yourself! Check out our step-by-step guide!
- Rustic stable: The rustic stable is a traditional rural setting in an old country farm. The shepherds usually wear traditional local outfits. Popular localised nativity scenes are the alpine nativity scene, which is nestled in an idyllic mountainscape, and the half-timbered nativity scene, which has a half-timbered house as its centrepiece.
- Nazarene or Orient-style stable: This one transports the onlooker directly to Bethlehem. The architecture is characterised by domed roofs, towers and warm colours. Palm trees line the stable, and there are often dunes in the background. The three wise men wear richly decorated robes, while the shepherds’ garments are of poorer quality.
- Stable set in ruins: This style depicts the ruins of roofless buildings in an oriental-looking setting. They symbolise the decay of the world. Out of the ruins Jesus will build a new kingdom of the world.
- Stable inside a cave: This one goes back to a tradition of the Christmas story in which Jesus Christ is described as having been born in a cave.
- Stable among tree roots: The centrepiece is a prominent root, a piece of driftwood or a gnarled branch that houses the holy family. This type of stable can have a more localised or an oriental design. It requires few ornamental details.
- Modern or stylish stable: The events of the Holy Night are depicted in a stylised way. They generally only show the holy family in a frame or archway. There are few accessories.
A nativity scene inside a cave with minimal lighting can also be very effective.
You can add some more nature into your living room around the holiday season with a stable set among tree roots.
You can let your imagination run wild when designing your DIY nativity scene. Your personal taste alone determines whether you place them faithfully in an oriental setting or design them with a more regional style. You can even find nativity scenes that combine several of these elements.
Here’s what your stable set in ruins could look like. You can also easily create it from reclaimed components!
What materials are suitable to build a nativity scene?
Everything you need to build a nativity scene can be found either in nature or in a DIY store. There are also online shops specifically designed for people wanting to create a nativity scene.
Base (glued wood)
Walls and roof trusses (especially for rustic nativity scenes)
Beams, windows and doors, window sills, shutters
Softwood fibreboards can be used to create beautiful transitions to the landscape
Walls (especially for orient-style nativity scenes)
Dome roofs can be formed with half domes of polystyrene
Extruded polystyrene (Styrodur)
Walls (especially for orient-style nativity scenes)
Door and window frames, beams
Can be cut with a (carpet/box) knife (caution: the blade will quickly get dull in the process)
Glued with wood glue, acrylic or tile adhesive
Use embossing rollers, punches (from brush covers, for example) or a wire brush for a more realistic stone or wood look.
Natural materials (roots, driftwood, branches, bark)
Roof, walls, flooring
Use a high-pressure cleaner to clean heavily decayed pieces of roots
The root should have the shape of a shell or elk antlers if you’re working on a rustic nativity scene
Window and door frames, doors
You can either use plaster moulds or pour plaster of paris onto a thin board, which you then break into small stones
Bricklaying and plastering
Modelling clay for small stones (we recommend using a support plate as a substructure)
Basic recipe: 60 ml wood glue, 300 ml water, 500 ml precipitated chalk and about 250 ml each of sanding dust and sawdust
It becomes finer the more sanding dust is used
The location matters
Before you create a nativity scene, you should consider where you want to place it later and how much space you have available. Should it go under the Christmas tree? Or would you rather put it on a sideboard? The homemade nativity scene also looks good in front of our space-saving DIY Christmas tree for the wall.
How to estimate the right size for your nativity scene
The nativity scene and accessories should at least roughly match the figurines when you build your own nativity scene, so as to create a harmonious overall look. These guidelines here help you to determine the right size. First, measure a male figurine. Joseph is conducive to this because it is usually a standing figurine. Joseph is 12 cm tall in our example. The calculation is based on the average size of an actual person (1.7 m). Now divide the size of the figurine by the size of a real person:
12 cm ÷ 170 cm = 0.07
Multiply this value by all the other objects in your nativity scene. For example, take a door that is 2 m high in real life:
200 cm x 0.07 = 14 cm
To save you the trouble of making these calculations, you can either use online tables or use graph paper to size your nativity scene. To do so, draw a vertical line (x-axis) and a horizontal line (y-axis) on graph paper that meet at the 0.00 point. The x-axis is the measurement in real life, the standard metre. It is drawn in the scale 1:10. The y-axis is the nativity scene. The scale here is 1:1. Now, find the size of 170 cm (average size) on the x-axis and move 12 cm (Joseph’s size) upward along the y-axis. Mark the spot with a dot and connect it to the zero point. This creates a guideline from which you can determine the proportions of the objects in your nativity scene based on your 12 cm tall figurines.
The stable should be at least twice as long as Joseph is high. The room height is usually calculated using a factor of 1.5. Which means that if Joseph is 12 cm tall, the room height is 18 cm.
Creating your plan
The first step in creating a DIY nativity scene is to make a plan. Take a sheet of drawing paper and sketch the ground plan or the arrangement of the building and other elements. Take all the proportions into account. The events of the holy night should be easily visible and not be disturbed by too many sideshows. Also make sure you have the right perspective to create a depth effect. All elements that are directed towards the background should be tapered: this applies to paths or streams, for example.
Of course, you can also use a ready-made plan for a nativity scenelike the one in our step-by-step guide.
Spot on: the right lighting for your own nativity scene
Think in advance about what you want to illuminate and how. The main focus is on the birth in the stable. The lights must not be visible later. You should also avoid casting shadows, as this impairs the depth effect. You can also set up small sources of fire, such as a campfire, a bread oven or, in the case of an orient-style nativity scene, torches, in secondary locations. However, they should not distract from the main scene.
Most DIY enthusiasts use regular E10- or E5.5-type light bulbs when building nativity scenes. However, small LEDs are also popular in the meantime. And the best part is that they are basically maintenance-free. You should be able to easily access all lights so you can change or replace them quickly if something breaks down. We recommend installing a small inspection door in the back wall of the nativity scene.
Trees & co.: pieces of nature
What would a DIY nativity scene be without trees, shrubs and grassy areas? You don’t have to spend a lot of money on arranging natural elements in your nativity scene. You can find many decorative materials in nature. Moss is a suitable stand-in for grass. Gnawed spruce cones make beautiful palm trunks. It is very easy to make bushes from pine boughs.
The intricate details: nativity scene accessories
Many small details are fun to rediscover later on. Tap into your creative side – the sky’s the limit! Here are a few suggestions:
- Tools and other instruments: saws, flails, axes, brooms, rakes
- Household items: wicker baskets, wooden crates, clay jugs, ladders, barrels, milk jugs
- Fences
- Sources of fire: campfires, torches, bread ovens
- Fountains and bridges
- Bird houses, rabbit hutches, chicken coops
- Carts and wheels
- Feeding troughs, wood piles, bundles of wood, bales of straw
- Animals: oxen, donkeys, horses, sheep, chickens, goats, camels, elephants, pigeons, ducks, geese, herding dogs, deer
- Extras: shepherds, the three wise men bearing their gifts, angel Gabriel, maids, children, peasants
HOW TO DRAW NATIVITY
Have fun with this fantastic step-by-step guide to drawing Bible characters and animals from the nativity story. Based on expert illustrator Steve Smallman’s drawing workshops, it is fully illustrated and comes with a handy sketch pad to draw your own!
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How to Draw a Christmas Present
Learn how to draw a great looking Christmas Present with easy, step-by-step drawing instructions, and video tutorial.
By following the simple steps, you too can easily draw a perfect Christmas Present.
Complete Christmas Present drawing
Gift giving during the Christmas holiday may be based on a number of sources. The Roman Saturnalia, whose festivities were celebrated on December 25, involved giving dolls to children.
This may have been draw from still earlier religious rites. According to Christian symbolism, gift giving reminds of the gifts of gold and spices given to the young Jesus by traveling astrologers.
Scroll down for a downloadable PDF of this tutorial.
Later, other gift giving individuals came to be associated with Christmas traditions. Since the fourth century, the man who became known as Saint Nicolas has been steeped in myth.
He was known for giving gifts to the needy in secret. In some countries, children are taught that the Christ Child brings them presents, or that gifts are brought by elf like helpers.
The modern version of Santa Claus was shaped by American poets and German cartoonists during the 1800s. The image was solidified by advertisements for the Coca Cola company in 1931.
Yearly, post offices around the world receive hundreds of thousands of letters for Santa, most from children between the ages of three and eight.
Would you like to draw a neatly wrapped present? You will need only a pencil, a sheet of paper, and an eraser. You may also wish to use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to shade your finished drawing.If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Christmas Tree, Christmas Wreath, and Santa Claus.
Step by Step Instructions for Drawing a Christmas Present
How to Draw a Great Looking Christmas Present for Kids, Beginners, and Adults – Step 1
1. Begin by drawing a slanted square. The top and bottom lines should be parallel and diagonal, the sides completely vertical. This will give your present a three dimensional look.
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 2
2. From the top and bottom of the first square, extend a set of parallel lines on the opposite diagonal. Then, connect them using a straight line. This forms another side of the box.
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 3
3. Use two straight lines, along with the tops of the previously drawn squares, to enclose the top of the box.
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 4
4. Draw another set of lines parallel to those drawn in the previous step. This begins the lid of the box.
MORE DRAWING TUTORIALS:
How to Draw Frosty the Snowman
How to Draw Santa Claus
How to Draw an Easy Christmas Tree
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 5
5. Draw short, straight lines from the lid lines, parallel to the sides of the box. Then, connect these lines using two straight lines, enclosing the lid.
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 6
6. Erase the guide lines from the lid.
Easy Christmas Present Drawing – Step 7
7. Make the lid appear three dimensional as well. Draw two lines parallel to its bottom lines, then connect the corners using a short, straight line.
MORE DRAWING TUTORIALS:
How to Draw Santa’s Sleigh
How to Draw a Christmas Stocking
How to Draw Christmas Ornaments
Add More Details to Your Christmas Present Picture – Step 8
8. Draw a bow on top of the box. Begin by drawing a circle in the middle of the lid. Enclose a curved shape on each side of the circle using a long, curved line. Draw another, smaller curved line within each shape, forming loops of ribbon. Beneath the knot, extend two more ribbons. For each, draw a pair of roughly parallel lines extending from the knot. Connect them at the end using two short lines. Notice the notch in each ribbon’s ending, indicating where it was cut. Erase guide lines as necessary.
Complete the Outline of Your Christmas Present Drawing – Step 9
9. Draw ribbons wrapped around the present. On each side and on top of the box, draw two sets of parallel lines, perpendicular to one another. Notice how the ribbons on the lid are slightly offset from the rest of the box.
Color Your Christmas Present Drawing
10. Color your present. The ribbons and wrapping paper can be any color you want, so be creative. Are there wonderful toys inside this present? Why not to draw a few using our teddy bear, robot, and toy car drawing tutorials.
For more great Christmas & Winter drawing tutorials, see the 43 Step-by-Step Christmas & Winter Drawing Guides post.
Remember, presents aren’t just for Christmas time. You can give someone a present any time of the year. Why not brighten someone’s day by giving them a present today. A drawing made by hand is an excellent present, especially when you use one of our many easy drawing guides.
Easy, step by step Christmas Present drawing tutorial
Click HERE to save the tutorial to Pinterest!
Christmas Present Drawing Tutorial – Easy & Fun Printable Pages
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