The Little Book of the Nativity:

by Dominique Foufelle

The perfect companion for Christmas festivities, this delightful gift of a book explores the rich history surrounding the Nativity. Filled with more than 75 entries featuring the fascinating details behind the story of the Immaculate Conception, Jesus's birth, the crèche, the Magi, and so much more, these pages illuminate the many ways the first Christmas is celebrated throughout the world. Beautifully illustrated with vibrant lithographs taken from prayer books and missals, The Little Book of the Nativity is a joyful treasure for a family to gather around year after year.

Genres: Christmas

168 pages, Hardcover

Published September 18, 2018

Reviews

[Tisha (IG: Bluestocking629) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Physically a most beautiful book. Looks great set out with Christmas decorations.

I rather enjoyed reading this book of Nativity history. I’m sad that the majority is France and not worldwide. Nonetheless I’m glad to have read it.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

So why is the blind man often seen with gypsies at the Christmas Creche, particularly in France? Why are the Magi of varied races and why do they bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the Christ Child?. In this charming Christmas book, translated from the French, Dominique Foufelle answers these and many other questions as she catalogs the mostly Western European customs and folk art of the Nativity. So far, the book has received rave reviews from those who received it as a gift from me on Christmas Day. Foufelle gathers the stories, scriptural and of holy lore, of the Nativity and explains what they have meant in different cultures. She is particularly interested in the tradition of the Creche, which began with St. Francis of Assisi in Italy and gained a place of prominence in Western Europe. She also briefly explores the tradition in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. The charming illustrations, mostly reproductions of antique bookplates and holy cards from the 19th Century, are well matched with her themes, which move through the Catholic feasts of the Annunciation into the Epiphany. I was very glad to find this at Barnes and Noble. It was the perfect gift for two people on my list. Selfishly, I claimed a copy for myself. The book is a refreshing respite to the commercialized Christmas that overwhelms celebrations here in the US.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice little illustrated pocket-sized book with tidbits about the story of the Nativity and Christmas customs. Not quite worth 5 stars but I wanted to balance out the silly 1-star review of Becky Pliego.

[Becky Pliego · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book about Christmas that treats Christmas as if it were not a true story is bad.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely little book about the way the nativity and crèche are celebrated. I read a few pages each night and thought about what the crèche means to me.

[HatGirl8]

12/20/2023

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't like this one. It had info I wasn't really interested in.

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little book about the nativity. The author reviews beliefs and customs around the world concerning the nativity.

It is a physically beautiful small book - perfect as a little gift. It is beautifully illustrated and contains a red built in silky bookmark. It fits perfectly in your purse - for reading on the go. I am gifting it to several people this year.

I read and enjoyed other books by this author including "Little Book of Christmas", "Little Book of Mary," and "Little Book of Angels."