I bought this nativity set from Woolworth’s five and dime store back in the early 1960’s when I was ten years old, and as I was a rather obsessive ten year old, I had to have all of the pieces and spent many an hour arranging them in just the right positions (and I still fuss over the pieces to this very day although I am not religious at all). The figures (the people, the cow, donkey and camels) are made of a composite material (hallow in the center) and most have ‘Japan’ stamped on the bottoms, although a few are stamped ‘Italy,’ each one costing 29 cents. The sheep and the dog are made of hard plastic. The stable / cr√®che itself is made of light wood, cardboard and straw and cost $8.99 (it has a small cutout hole to accommodate a mini light bulb and came with a cardboard star to insert on top). Most rare are the palm trees made of wooden sticks that are wrapped in cellophane, each inserted into a composite base stamped ‘Japan,’ the tops made of bendable pipe cleaners. True, there are much nicer nativity sets to be found, but I love my vintage five and dime store set! Here’s wishing everyone “Happy Holidays!”
Facebook
Twitter
Press
Contact
Allee Willis
I love that you bought this when you were 10 and still haul it out and arrange it every year. And I beyond absolutely love that you not only know the price of everything but that the price tags are still on. This is absolutely adorable!!
denny
I love the price tag on the one figure, 20 cents. I loved Woolworths and made a made dash for that store every time we stepped into the mall.
This is a cool memory!
k2dtw
This is so great…I love all the pieces, the Palm Trees are to die for. It is fabulous that you found it at the dime store, and have loved and kept it all these (few) years. I LOVED the dime store when I was a kid…
Nessa
Cheap-o Nativity sets are the best, and things like that from childhood have the best sentimental value.
Carrie
Some of those pieces look EXACTLY like the ones we set up every year at my parent’s. They are also marked Japan or Italy on the bottoms.
Allee Willis
Ooh, do you still have any of them?
Carrie
Oh yes, my parents still put them up every year!
Allee Willis
Would love to see them or any other kitschtastic decorations here!