DIY Christmas Yard Nativity Set

Is your house already decked out with your holiday decor? If you are done decorating, I am jealous! Don’t worry, we are just about done here too, so stay tuned.So, this year I’ve been bound and determined to be prepared, and I started on my outdoor decor early. So, I actually made this DIY Christmas Nativity set a few weeks ago. I have to give a huge SHOUT OUT to my friend Judy who has a nativity set like these that caught my eye last year. So, I asked her if I could use hers as my pattern to make a set of my own. I love friends like that! She rocks.I love how simple it is and the nativity characters look classy and modern.

The nativity set is also super festive and a great reminder of what the holidays are really about. I need that reminder too. Hustle and bustle can get the best of all of us this time of year, right?

All you need is:

Two 4’X8’ sheets of 1/2 inch ply wood, I had the folks at Home Depot cut the boards in half for me
Three cans of Rustoleum Gold Metallic Spray paint
One dowel for the Shepard’s Cane
Three 1X2X8 boards and a way to cut them
Nine hinges
a Jigsaw {we recommend using a corded jigsaw instead of a cordless jigsaw, the batteries go fast}.
Six clear transparencies
and an overhead projector

After you have gathered your supplies, you need to print out the pattern for the nativity {found below} onto transparencies and use an old school overhead projector to trace the bad boys onto the wood. If you live in Southern Utah, you can come over and trace mine {seriously I wouldn’t mind a bit}.

Then, with your trusty jigsaw, cut out those bad boys. If you have a handy hubby, he will be super excited to help. {ahem, hopefully} But really, it isn’t hard to cut these bad boys out yourself. I wanted to see just how hard it is to use the jigsaw, so I tried it. I did pretty well all. by. myself.

I’m lucky to have Dan do a lot of my dirty work and to let the truth be told, he cut mine out, but you don’t need your own Dan for this project. I promise. You can do it.

They will look something like this when you get them cut out.

Then take your spray paint and coat those bad boys with gold. I used Rustoleum metallic gold. I only needed 3 cans to do both the front and backs of the entire set. I tried several gold spray paints and this is the one that performed the best. You do not need primer, the paint adheres great without it.

Then you need to install hinges and boards on the back for your nativity characters to stand up with. Cut the boards as long as you need them {depending on your yard incline}, and stand them up in their spots.

Don’t forget to paint the dowel and stick it in the ground by the Shepard’s arm.
Voila! Your house will be the favorite in your neighborhood this holiday season!

For the entire set, we spent right around $50.00. Not bad for a nativity that will last for years and years! Judy has had hers for over 20 years! She just repaints them when they need a little TLC. I hope you like them!

Comments

Akshaya George says:

December 3, 2012 at 6:07 am

Nice idea, I like it but In this Christmas you can also decor your Christmas tree with beer bottles which is very unique, you can also used pine cone for decor your Christmas tree.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 3, 2012 at 8:47 am

Akshaya,
You can decorate with all sorts of used items, you are right, but beer bottles? HA! I don't drink, so that doesn't appeal to me. But, to some that may be really fun.

The Vakautakakala's says:

December 3, 2012 at 9:07 am

Love it!! I might have to add this to Pila's already overflowing honey-do list!!

strbrte says:

December 3, 2012 at 9:18 am

totally doing this for next year!

Sarah says:

December 3, 2012 at 10:55 am

Love it! My grandpa made me pieces of a wooden nativity for this year… we were going to stake them into the ground but we can't get our stakes in deep enough! I like the hinge idea, but do they fall over? I guess it's windier here in texas than there, but maybe it would work still?

Rebekah says:

December 3, 2012 at 11:36 am

This is great!! It makes a beautiful statement piece!!

Nancy Carr says:

December 3, 2012 at 12:39 pm

Love your home and decorations. Thank you for sharing. Peace and Blessings.

Julie Boarder says:

December 3, 2012 at 4:49 pm

This is lovely. I don't think it will get made at our house in time for this Christmas, but perhaps December 2013! I think it would look great with our snow around it too

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:42 am

Jamie! I'm sure Pila is going to HATE me now! I have that impact on husbands at times. I hope you are doing well! xoxo.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:43 am

YAY! I'm glad you like it! Send me a picture when you do!

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:44 am

Sarah, They haven't fallen over yet, but it isn't windy here much. I bet it would be worth it to try the hinges.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:44 am

Thank you!

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:44 am

Thanks Nancy.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 11:45 am

Julie,
For sure! The snow would just make it look more GOLD. We don't have snow in Southern Utah, but I bet it would be beautiful with snow around it!

Annette says:

December 4, 2012 at 3:37 pm

You were able to do this with only two 4×8 sheets of plywood?? It looks like it would take more. I love it, I'm going to show it to my David and see if it will motivate him to want to take it on! He's very handy and does all kinds of stuff for me. How big or small are the dimensions of the larger pieces?

Lori says:

December 4, 2012 at 6:15 pm

Brooke I have wanted to do this for years!! I am so glad I can now show this to my hubbby and get this done for next year. Though at the moment my fingertips are painted white – I'm following your spray painting tips for a project I just build for my daughter's room! I hope it comes out half as good as your stuff.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 10:55 pm

Annette, it definitely fits on two sheets. The patterns may have to be separated into individual pieces to fit. I don't remember which ones were actually traced together, and when I did the project I used my friend's set as my pattern, so I had to make these patterns in photoshop. SO, you may have to play around with the patterns, but they definitely all fit on 2 sheets.

Brooke @ www.allthingsthrifty.com says:

December 4, 2012 at 10:57 pm

Lori!!! Good luck! You have to send me a picture of your project. FOR SURE. I want to see. If it makes you feel better, I am speckled with gold glitter. HA! XOXO.

ARod says:

December 5, 2012 at 9:53 am

love them awesome job

Tracy says:

December 10, 2012 at 8:35 am

Thank you so much for the pictures, templates and supply list for this project. I am the youth pastor of a church in Illinois and knew this was the perfect nativity for our church. This Saturday morning, I gave the templates and supply list to one of our avid woodworkers. Today, I came into church to find the completed scene waiting for me to paint it. I'll get busy on that tomorrow, and by Wednesday we hope to have it displayed. Our church sets on the same street as our local grade, high and middle schools, so we get lots of traffic! This is such a simple and beautiful reminder of the season. Thanks for your inspiration!