A Christmas Tradition

FROM AROUND THE WORLD  A diverse collection of Nativity sets from several different countries are part of Hans and Cristina Niederstrasser’s Nativity collection in their home in West Milford.

NEW MILFORD  For a half-century, the Niederstrasser family, parishioners of St. Joseph Church here, has had a special global collection that reflects the true meaning of Christmas — a Nativity collection comprised of more than 400 sets from all corners of the world.

The collection began when Hans and Cristina, who both grew up in Mexico, were a young couple. “We always had a Nativity under the Christmas tree. Our collection started with just some figures, which later after 52 years of marriage became the large one we have now,” the couple said.

Over the past five decades, the Nativity collection grew through the Niederstrassers’ travels, from garage and rummage sales and many as presents from family and friends. In total, the couple has 424 sets.

The Nativity sets come from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Gua­temala, El Salvador, Colombia, Ger­many, France, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Holland, Palestine, Nepal, Vietnam, Philip­pines, Angola, Kenya, India, Russia, Italy, Poland, Ireland, England and Canada. Many of them reflect the culture of the country they came from and are handcrafted by artisans. The collection includes a snow globe with the Nativity; others are made of metal, some of wood, and even a few are made from seashells.

While each of the Nativity scenes has a special story behind it, there are two in particular that especially stand out. “The smallest is a complete Nativity inside a pistachio nut husk from Mexico as small as a dime,” Hans Niederstrasser said. “Our largest one is 70-square feet in our living room with more than 110 human figures and a lot of animals — sheep, hens, cattle and donkeys.”

Several family members and friends often visit the home and are in awe of the collection. Mary Beth Ferriola, who serves on the staff at St. Joseph’s, said, “I took a tour of their home a few years ago and it was a sight to see. It is something very special the Niederstrassers do this time of year.”

During the Christmas season, the Nieder­strassers will be visiting their children and grandchildren out of state and hope to find more Nativity scenes.

Earlier this month, Pope Francis visited the Italian town of Greccio, where St. Francis of Assisi created the first Nativity scene with live animals in a cave in 1223.

In Greccio, the pope also signed his apostolic letter, Admirabile signum, which means “A wonderful sign,” to encourage the tradition of the Nativity scene in families, schools, workplaces, hospitals, prisons, and town squares. “Setting up the Christmas crèche in our homes helps us to relive the history of what took place in Bethlehem,” Pope Francis wrote in the letter. “When, at Christmas, we place the statue of the Infant Jesus in the manger, the Nativity scene suddenly comes alive. God appears as a child, for us to take into our arms. Beneath weakness and frailty, he conceals his power that creates and transforms all things,” he said.

The Niederstrassers’ feel their Nativity display goes to the heart of Pope Francis’s apostolic letter. “For us, it is not only a collection, it is a way to recognize the importance of the Christmas season, reaffirming our Catholic beliefs and having the special opportunity to share them with family and friends,” they told The Beacon.