1987
Manger Scene
December 1987

“Manger Scene,” Friend, Dec. 1987, 30–31

Manger Scene

To make manger scene, you will need: tracing paper, heavy paper or lightweight cardboard, scissors, glue, and crayons or felt-tip pens. Optional: lollipop stick for Joseph’s staff (bend at one end for shepherd’s crook), Easter grass for manger hay, cotton or Styrofoam ball for Baby Jesus’ head.

Important

  1. Body, cloak, and manger pieces must be placed along fold of doubled paper or cardboard.

  2. Xs have been placed in relative positions where glue is to be applied, but it is not possible to indicate which side of piece is to be glued. Hold pieces in place before applying glue to determine where to apply it. Let each application of glue dry thoroughly before going to next step for figure.

  1. Use tracing paper to copy all pattern pieces.

Kneeling Figure

  1. For each kneeling figure, cut out 1 body, 1 cloak, 1 head drape, and 2 arms. Unfold each doubled body and doubled cloak.

  2. Use crayons or pens to draw face and hair at one end of each body, and draw clothes on each body (from face down to first dashed line only), cloak, head drape, and arm. (Be sure to color both sides of arms.)

  3. Fold body up on dashed lines, making sure that colored area is on outside. Glue at top.

  4. With colored areas on outside, fold bottom of cloak up, and fold sides in, on dashed lines. Center cloak against back of body so that cloak’s bottom fold is even with base of body. Loosely wrap cloak sides around “sides” of body, then glue top of cloak to body at back, then in front.

  5. Fold in top, then each side, of head drape at dashed lines, colored side out. Slip over head (be sure face can be seen); glue first at top, then at top corners of side folds.

  6. Glue arms at shoulders of body.

Manger

  1. Glue open edges together so that piece is double thick.

  2. Fold up at long dashed lines, then cut short solid lines.

  3. Fold up short dashed lines, and glue.

Baby Jesus

  1. Cut strip of paper or cardboard about 1″ x 4″ (2.5 cm x 10 cm), roll into cylinder, and glue end edge down. (String or rubber band will help cylinder hold its shape until glue dries.)

Manger Scene

Illustrated by Julie F. Young