News / Sea Mills

In photos: Residents create unique festive nativity scenes

By Mary Milton  Tuesday Dec 19, 2023

“Quirky, brilliant and insane,” were the words of one of the organisers of a nativity scene recreation project in Sea Mills.

A Bristol community gathered to sing carols, consume mince pies and show off their Christmas creativity.

Mulled, non-alcoholic beverages were also available at the former Sea Mills Methodist Church as people came to admire a collection of crib sets made, or lent by locals for all to enjoy.

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There were certainly some unusual offerings among some of the more traditional displays.

Projects of the imagination included a lego nativity with an accompanying composition depicting the Angel Gabriel, complete with electric guitar, appearing to shepherds in the fields.

The donors were asked to write a few words about their displays and some donated multiple sets. One caption proudly reads: “Four crib scenes from around the world – Bangladesh, Uganda, Peru and Chile plus one from John Lewis.”

The Angel Gabriel serenades Mary and Joseph with an electric guitar in one unusual nativity display

The more traditional sets include this one brought by Eileen. She once saved it from being thrown away and it’s one of three she contributed for the display

At least half the sets, including this one – a nativity made from toilet rolls by 126 Sea Mills Beavers – have been made in the immediate run up to the event

This scene is a product of early entrepreneurship – the owner recalls making and selling about five sets as a teenager

This model stable, complete with underfloor heating and roof insulation, was made by the local Climate Action Group and has a sustainability theme

One nativity was made as a thank you to all the volunteers who deliver the Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle’s Community Voice newsletter throughout the year. The cardboard angels, all reading their own miniature copies of the local magazine are now on display at the Sea Mills mini museum.

One nativity was made as a thank you to all the volunteers who deliver the Sea Mills and Coombe Dingle’s Community Voice newsletter

Mary Milton is reporting on Sea Mills as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media     

Main photo: Mary Milton

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