In essence, the nativity scene with its little figurines is a largely faithful representation of the birth of Jesus the Christ child as told in the Bible. And yet there are a lot of lesser known and curious details about this depiction of a narrative which has inspired millions of Christians and captured the imagination of artists for two millennia.
5. The angel and the star
The nativity crib often features angels and bright stars, and these too have their origins in the gospels and some later non-canonical religious works. The angels appear to various people from the time of Jesus' conception through to his birth and beyond in the two gospels, including Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. In Luke it is the angel Gabriel who appears to Mary and the parents of John The Baptist. The star over Bethlehem denotes the star the Wise Men followed to find the Christ child in Matthew. Photo: Brendan McDaid
6. The mystery of the Magi
They are celebrated and represented in song, fiction, on film and in popular imagination, and yet scholars to this day are still intrigued with the mysterious presence of the Magi. In terms of the Bible, the Magi only appear in the Gospel of Matthew. And he does not mention where they came from specifically, just that they came from the East. Nor does it state how many there were. We do know there was more than one, as 'Magi' in Greek, the language in which the earliest gospels we have are written, is the plural of Magus. Nor are they named in the Bible. It was only much later in fact, that the names Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar (Caspar) appeared and their origins from east Africa to Persia and beyond seeped into popular consciousness. Links to mysticism, astrology and Zoroastrianism have become the stuff of legend. The Magi are not mentioned in Luke or anywhere else, although there were whole works dedicated to them in the years after the gospels were written, with one non-canonical, intriguing early text, The Revelation of the Magi recently translated and listing their number as perhaps 12, with different names and a very unique origin story. Matthew tells us the Magi also visited King Herod in their quest to find the child, which led, the gospel states, to Herod ordering the Massacre of the Innocents. Photo: Brendan McDaid
7. The gifts of myrrh, gold and frankincense
One fascinating aspect of the Magi story is the gifts they present to the newborn king. We tend to think of narratives today in terms of fact or fiction, but this was not always the case, and many ancient texts would have been written in such a way that the symbolism and message was the central point. Millions of Christians, of course, see the entire bible as the literal truth and the word of God, and therefore everything is factual and the gospel books and the other texts present various components of that overall truth. Others see it in this ancient tradition, like Jesus' parables themselves, where the message conveyed by the story is the key. It is in this context that the gifts make a lot of sense. Gold, myrrh and frankincense were then, as now, precious materials. Gold is taken to represent kingship, while frankincense, used in many religious rituals at the the time and through to this day, often denotes purification, spirituality, worship. Myrrh meanwhile is a sweet, anointing substance which, like frankincense, comes from the gum sap of specific trees in north Africa and the Middle East. It's inclusion perhaps hints at something darker, foreshadowing Jesus' fate as it was reportedly used to embalm the dead. Today, frankincense and myrrh are often used in perfumery, and if you want to get an indication of what they smell like you can purchase myrrh, frankincense, or myrrh & frankincense, incense sticks widely and quite cheaply. The locations where these precious items originated may have influenced later origin stories for each of the wise men and the names attributed to them. Photo: Brendan McDaid
8. The shepherd
Often positioned on the opposite flank of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to the Magi, are the humble shepherds (or shepherd) and their little lambs. It is a striking feature of Luke's Gospel that the angel of God appears not to the powerful and mighty to announce the birth of Jesus, but to the poor shepherds in the fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Luke's Gospel is the only one to relate this aspect of the nativity story, and in terms of symbolism it is quite powerful, as Jesus through his life and later Ministry will show compassion and live among the forgotten, the poor, the sick and the outcast, rather than the cloaked and crowned kings of the earth. Meanwhile the Magi, in their fine robes and crowns, represent powerful leaders bowing before a King of Kings, with the two contrasting groups of visitors, when brought together, showing the infant Jesus as a Lord for all, recognised by all, whatever their backgrounds or status. Photo: Brendan McDaid