30 Nativity Scene Coloring Pages - Free!

When Christmas arrives, one of the first things we do when decorating the house is to set up the nativity scene or the manger. You have surely done it! It consists of representing the birth of Jesus through small figures that are arranged in such a way that they represent that scene.

Setting up the nativity scene is one of the oldest traditions that exist. It is recorded that the first nativity scene was made in 1223, when Saint Francis of Assisi set one up in a cave, in what is now Italy.

This tradition came to America through the colonizers, as a tool for the evangelization of the indigenous people who populated the continent. Don't you think it's super interesting? Because we do! We have much more to teach you, so come along with us.

On top of the nativity scene images to print and color we added super interesting information so you can learn while coloring. Don't waste any more time! Grab your colors and dare to learn with us while we have fun Coloring Together.

1. The nativity scene is also known as Bethlehem, in honor of the city where Jesus was born: Bethlehem.
2. The first manger in history was made by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223. He wanted to represent the birth of Jesus in a realistic way, with the goal of teaching Christians who, being illiterate, could not read the Bible and the New Testament.
3. The oldest manger in the world is located in Bologna, in the basilica of Saint Stephen and dates from the 13th century.
4. The origin of the nativity scene or Bethlehem in Spain has its origin in the time of King Charles III. This monarch brought this tradition from Italy, his homeland.
5. Not all nativity scenes represent only the birth of Jesus. It is common for some to have previous scenes, such as the Annunciation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary, or the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt.
6. In Peru the manger is taken down on January 6, for a celebration called the Descent of the Kings. In this celebration family members and friends take down each figure of the nativity scene one by one.
7. In countries such as Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia or Chile, the baby Jesus is not placed in the manger before December 24. It is on that very day!
8. In Krakow, the nativity scenes are very different from how we know them. They build them by reproducing Slavic-style temples, and they place the nativity scene on a balcony of the facade.
9. Neapolitan nativity scenes represent the life of the city and pay greater attention to details of urban life and the shops placed in Bethlehem. The figures are usually dressed in 18th-century fashion.
10. In the Azteca stadium, in Mexico City, a manger was built that was populated with more than 1,500 statuettes. That is a whole lot! They even have a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
11. In the city of Alicante one of the tallest nativity scenes in the world was set up, with the main figures measuring more than 18 meters tall. Amazing!
12. In some nativity scenes angels and shepherds are usually added, even though they do not appear in the Catholic texts.
13. A nativity scene is placed in the White House every year. The one from George Bush was an 18th-century Italian nativity, which was donated to the presidential residence at the end of the 20th century.
14. The caganer is a Catalan creation, which consists of a figurine of a peasant defecating, and it is usually placed in nativity scenes. This character was born in the 17th century, and initially was not part of the Bethlehem scene.
15. Among the most famous nativity scenes in the world is the one set up by the Vatican in Saint Peter's Square, and the one from Trebechovice from the 19th century, carved in wood by 3 Czech craftsmen and which has more than 2000 figures almost 7 meters tall.
16. In Calne, a town in the United Kingdom, the record for the largest living nativity scene in the world was achieved, on December 3, 2016. It had more than 1254 participants among shepherds and angels.
17. The largest mechanical nativity scene or Bethlehem in the world was made by the Czech craftsman Tomas Kryza. It was built in the middle of the 19th century. It is 17 meters long by two meters wide and tall, and it took him 60 years to complete. A whole lifetime!
18. In ancient times, a tavern was placed next to the nativity scene, to represent the sins of man against the purity of the baby Jesus.
19. In several places in Spain it is forbidden to use or take natural moss for nativity scenes, since this could endanger native species.
20. In Poland variations of nativity scenes are made using famous buildings of the country in the background. They are carved in great detail, and they are known as szopka.