My Mom started collecting Fontanini figurines in the early 90s. My Great-Grandmother Jewel was a big contributor to her collection.

I remember the small figures arranged in the dining room on the buffet, perfectly at eye-level for curious kids. I distinctly remember the year Grandmother gifted my Mom the inn and innkeeper, expanding the scene beyond a stable… from there the originally intimate gathering of a few animals and the Holy Family grew into a veritable village, now consisting of ~45 characters. From shepherd to angel, Roman Centurion to Rabbi, rug salesman to pregnant washerwoman.

Because the figures are virtually unbreakable, the children of the house had full leave to move, arrange, and play with the figurines at will throughout the Christmas season. As a child, I enjoyed reading the tiny booklets that came with each character- telling their name, backstory, and relationship to the birth of Jesus.

When it comes to Christmas nostalgia, “the Fontanini” (as they are called) are key players in my memory in terms of both decor and interactive play.

I recently found a Fontanini Nativity set of 7 pieces at a thrift store for $28 (quite a deal!).