Like most manufacturers of porcelain figurines, Lladro has nativity sets. The Christmas season is too important in the Christian world to overlook the possibilities of selling figurines as that important time of year. So, Lladro has a number of possibilities if you are looking for a new creche this year, for yourself or as a gift.

Lladro has two basic types of nativities. The first is the usual full complement of characters in a stable: Mary Joseph, Jesus, three wise men and their mounts, shepherds and their sheep, an angel, and a donkey and ox, original occupants of the stable. The other is actually three or five figures in a one piece. The three figures common for all these one piece nativities in, of course, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. In one case the designers at Lladro have added a donkey and an ox to the group. These multiple figures in one piece may have some backdrop or enclosure method to imply the stable.

For the nativities with multiple figures, there seem to be two sets of molds. One set is called “medium”, in which the standing figures are approximately twelve inches tall. The pieces are sold separately, or you can find related pieces sold as a set, like Mary, Joseph and Jesus, or the three wise men. The full creche includes: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, a shepherdess with a sheep (also called “The Lost Lamb”), a shepherd with two sheep, the three wise men unmounted, a camel, an ox, a donkey and a stable-like formation of walls, clouds and angels to use as a backdrop. This set is realistically colored. The same molds are used to produce two other nativity sets, one using the Lladro “gres” materials and techniques and perhaps called “Silent Night”, and one called Re-deco, in which the figures are white porcelain with gold highlights. You can recognize these nativities by the kneeling and stooped posture of Joseph.

The second set of nativity figures are called “small”. Only the three main characters are included: Mary Joseph and Jesus. Joseph is kneeling on a staff and is about nine inches tall. This nativity is more serene and perhaps a little more modern in style than the “medium” nativity.

Nao by Lladro also has a nativity set, winch includes Mary, Joseph, Jesus, a donkey, an ox and the three wise men. I saw two different stables, one obviously made of porcelain and one that looks like a wood stable. The dimensions for the wood stable are 19 inches by 17 inches by 4 inches, so the standing Joseph appears to be about twelve inches tall. The style is somewhere between the peaceful “small” creche and the somewhat dramatic “medium” set.

The all-in-one nativities are given specific names. These are the ones I found:

• “Holy Family” has the three main characters attached together in a piece almost nine inches tall, with natural colors, and has a fairly modern look.
• “Blessed Family” is also the three main characters in natural colors and is about fifteen inches tall.
• “Blessed Family Mural” has the three figures against a wall none inches tall, and is all white or a light gray.
• “Birth of Jesus” is eleven inches tall and a swirl of fabric holds the three naturally colored figures together and implies the stable or at least shelter.
• “Joyful Event” has Mary, Joseph, Jesus, a donkey and an ox in one figurine, is naturally colored and fifteen inches tall. It also comes in the gres technique.
• “Humble Grace” is also made in the “gres” form, and has Mary, Joseph and Jesus in a minimal stable structure.
• Nao “The Holy Family” is nine inches tall.
• Nao “A Child is Born” in eleven inches tall.
• Finally, there is an oval piece of porcelain with “carved” figures in white and about seven inches tall.

If you decide to purchase a nativity by Lladro, I would suggest finding a local gift store or jewelry store that carries Lladro porcelains and look at as many as you can in person. Even if you decide on one of the single piece nativities, you will be spending a considerable amount of money, so it would be best to be sure of your selection before you buy. With the creches made of many separate figures, you can always begin with Mary, Joseph and Jesus and add additional figures as your budget allows. Perhaps some will come to you as gifts. Whichever one you get, you will treasure it for many years, and it will make a nice heirloom for someone else in the family.

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