Build your own Christmas crib - with simple instructions

A self-made Christmas crib does not always have to shine with individuality, but can calmly stage the Christmas night in an atmospheric way. With these instructions you will build both the crib and the figures.

You need this for the construction of the crib

• A base plate 40 x 60 x 1 cm,
• A back wall 38 x 23 x 1 cm
• Two roof panels, each 22.5 x 24 x 0.5 cm (all made of plywood)
• Four logs or branches for the posts (17 centimeters long, two centimeters thick)
• brush
• Jigsaw or hand saw
• Garden tongs
• Hot glue gun
• Masking tape
• Dark wood stain
• Small, battery-operated chain of lights
• Sand or fine gravel
• Straw, hay and other (natural) materials for decorating

You need that for building the figures

• Skin-colored, beige or light brown construction paper (if you only get large sheets of the correct color: cut to A4 size)
• Solid cardboard box
• glue stick
• scissors
• Small wooden blocks (you can cut a one-meter wooden slat to a size of 1 x 2 centimeters)
• Hot glue gun
• Acrylic paint
• brush
• colored pencils
• Clear coat spray

Printable templates

• Submission Maria and Josef
• Original three wise men
• Submission camel
• Submission donkey
• Template shepherd with sheep
• Template ox

Build a crib yourself

First, draw the positions for the four posts and the back wall on the base plate. Then saw the back wall at an angle to the roof slope: mark a point on the right and left edge of the plate at a height of 17 centimeters, the third point is placed in the middle of the top edge - it forms the apex. Draw a connecting line between this apex and the lateral points, then cut along it - this creates the angles of the roof slope. In the third step, attach the back wall and all four posts to the base plate using hot glue.

Draw positions

Photo: www.bine-braendle.de

Now you make the roof: For this, glue the two roof panels together on the narrow side with masking tape, turn the whole thing over so that the masking strip points downwards. Then fold the two roof wings apart slightly and fix them to the rear wall and post with hot glue. If you like, you can also add a gable: Use a long branch or bamboo rod as a connection between the front posts and a short branch as a connection to the roof ridge. These also hold thanks to hot glue.

Attach rear wall, post, roof.

Photo: www.bine-braendle.de

Design a crib

Paint the crib with the dark wood stain. Then the rear wall and roof are clad: Use small branches, which you can shorten with the secateurs to the required length and attach using a hot glue gun.

Apply wood stain, glue on branches.

Photo: www.bine-braendle.de

Now it's time to decorate: The fairy lights are fixed under the roof with masking tape. Sprinkle fine gravel or sand on the base plate - so that it is not blown away by the drafts, first spread some wood glue. For the interior, straw, hay, moss, and everything else you like are suitable.

Decorate the crib.

Photo: www.bine-braendle.de

Make figures

Download the figure templates and print them out on construction paper. Then glue everything onto sturdy cardboard and cut out the figures. Then the fogs are painted with acrylic paint, save skin-colored areas. After drying, you can record details such as robe patterns with colored pencils. Finished figures still have to be sprayed with clear varnish. Use hot glue to attach a wooden block from behind so that the figures have a firm footing.

Make figures.

Photo: www.bine-braendle.de