I have wanted to do this beautiful manger, or pesebre, for some time now. I’m glad I made it, and I’m thrilled I get to share it with you today. I love this idea because it is handmade, minimalist and modern. It’s also economical and easy to make.
If you have small children at home, this could be an excellent choice for you because it will not break easily. It could also be a fun family activity for the holiday season.
You can include as many figures as you’d like in your manger. Mine has Baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, the Wise Men (Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar), the Angel Gabriel, a shepherd, and The Star of Bethlehem that guided the Wise Men.
To create this beautiful pesebre at home, you’ll need:
- 7 1″ wooden ball knobs
- 1 small wooden ball knob (for Baby Jesus)
- 7 cork stoppers
- Moss
- Fabric scraps
- Gold ribbon
- Hot glue gun, glue, & scissors
- Scissors
- 1 wooden board (for the base)
- 1 star
- Floral wire
Using the hot glue gun, attach the knobs to the corks to create the bodies. Repeat this with each character you decide to include in your manger.
To create Mary, cut a piece of light blue fabric the size of the cork and glue it to cover her body. Secure the seam. For the head, cut a rectangular piece of fabric, a little larger than the one used for the body, and glue it to the top of the head. Use a drop of glue in the back to hold the extra material.
For Joseph, I used brown fabric to cover his body and head. As I always mention, feel free to use your favorite colors! With the help of the hot glue gun, create a belt using a piece of gold ribbon.
Repeat this process using different colors and accessories according to the role of each figure in the manger. For example, for the Angel Gabriel I used white and gold. For the Wise Men, I used gold ribbon to create their crowns and jewelry. And for the shepherd, I used a vest and a cane.
To create Baby Jesus, you will need a small wooden knob and white fabric. Glue the knob into the fabric and wrap it in the shape of a baby’s body. Secure with silicone. Place Baby Jesus on a moss bed.
Place all the characters on the wooden board and secure them with hot glue. This step is optional; I just know my four-year-old daughter, and this is a good idea for my home! Hold the floral wire under the wood board with the most reliable adhesive tape you have. Create a hook with the wire and place the star with the help of some ribbon.
And just like that, you just made a manger for your home that everybody will get to enjoy this holiday season. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
– Carla Gutierrez, Notas de Mamá