This graham cracker nativity is a fun twist that highlights the spirit of Christmas. A sweet activity for kids during the holiday season!
You might also like our Pop-Tarts gingerbread houses, stacked snowman cookies, or iced gingerbread man cookies.
One of my favorite holiday traditions is making graham cracker houses. I remember making one in kindergarten, using a small milk carton, and being so excited to bring it home. I couldn't wait to continue the tradition with my children and I am thrilled that they love making them as much as I do! Here is a darling twist on the classic little house. It actually isn't a house at all, it's a stable! A graham cracker nativity!
Why I Like This Craft
- Easy to make. These nativities are very forgiving. No matter how your children decorate them, they will be sweet and adorable. We ended up with an elephant in ours, and I love it!
- Fun to customize. Use a variety of different animal crackers or candies. Get creative with the candies used for the people.
- Spiritual focus. We like decorating gingerbread houses this time of year, but there is something so sweet and special about making a nativity as a family.
What Others Are Saying
We made these at a church dinner with the kids! We used store-bought frosting, and after they decorated the nativity, it was used as the centerpiece on each table.---Lisa on Facebook
We will be doing this graham crackers nativity for our second year. My kids love it, and it is becoming a tradition for our family. Thanks and God bless you!---Marion
I’m going to do this with my Grandboys when they visit for Christmas. Such a doable craft with the true Christmas meaning.💚❤️---Leanne
Jump to:
This is the original nativity we made in 2014, using peanut butter instead of royal icing. Fun to make, but royal icing gives it more stability and is easier to work with. Moral of the story: USE ROYAL ICING.
Tips and Tricks
- My favorite divided tray with lid. So great for making gingerbread houses, snack trays, and more.
- Spoon icing into plastic baggies. To keep messes to a minimum, spoon icing into a plastic baggie and cut off the corner. This makes it easy to add lines of icing to the dge of each cracker for assembly.
- Let the stable stand for 10-15 minutes to dry. The royal icing will dry quickly (within 30 minutes). I like assembling the stable and then letting it sit to harden slightly before adding the characters. This gives it stability.
Ingredients
- Graham crackers: We used plain honey graham crackers. I would advise against using cinnamon graham crackers as the cinnamon and sugar coating won't adhere to the royal icing as well.
- Royal icing: a simple mixture of ½ cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of water. Some add meringue powder, but I don't. Alternatively, you can use a tub of vanilla frosting from the store.
- Gumdrops: For head and body pieces.
- Mini candy canes: For shepherd canes.
- Animal crackers: A simple option for the nativity animals. Might not be accurate with elephants and tigers, but still cute.
- Toasted coconut: For hay/straw.
- Fruit by the foot: We used this for swaddling clothes as well as clothing and headwear.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make a Graham Cracker Nativity
Step 1: Mix powdered sugar and water to create a thick icing. Add more sugar or water, if necessary, to achieve the desired thickness. You want a thick icing.
Start with the bottom. Use your icing to attach the bottom graham cracker to your base (cardboard wrapped in foil, or a sturdy paper plate).
Step 2: Use two half graham crackers for the sidewalls, a full graham cracker for the back, and another one for the top. Add the back wall, then prop it up with a cup while you add the side walls.
Step 3: Let graham cracker stable sit until icing has had a chance to set up (15-20 minutes)
Step 4: Assemble Mary, Joseph, Shephards, and Baby Jesus while the graham cracker stable dries. To create these figures, slide gumdrops onto a toothpick.
Baby Jesus is two gumdrops wrapped in a piece of fruit by the foot, resting on a small piece of graham cracker. Trim off the excess toothpick with scissors, if desired.
Mary and Joseph are 3 gumdrops.
Step 5: The shepherds are 3 gumdrops with a fruit-by-the-foot head covering and a candy cane staff.
Step 6: The angel has two candy canes for wings.
Step 7: Use icing to attach the figures. Add a couple of animal cracker animals. Allow them to dry. Prop them up if necessary, but they should dry in about 5 minutes.
Step 8: Sprinkle toasted coconut around for straw.
Graham Cracker Nativity FAQs
This Graham cracker nativity will go stale and lose stability after two weeks or so.
You only need two ingredients to make a sturdy icing for nativity scenes. ½ cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of water. Mix until a thick paste forms.
We used plain honey graham crackers. I would advise against using cinnamon graham crackers, as the cinnamon and sugar coating won't adhere to the royal icing as well. Chocolate graham crackers would also work. You could even use Pop-Tarts like we do for our Pop-Tarts gingerbread houses.
More Christmas Recipes To Make
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Graham Cracker Nativity
Equipment
- toothpicks
- paper plate or cardboard covered with foil
- plastic baggie for icing or peanut butter
Materials
- 5 graham crackers
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons water
- gumdrops
- mini candy canes
- fruit roll up (fruit by the foot)
- toasted coconut
- animal crackers
Instructions
- Mix powdered sugar and water to create a thick icing. Add more sugar or water, if necessary to achieve desired thickness. You want a thick icing.
- Fill plastic baggie with icing. Cut a small snip across a corner.
- Start with the bottom. Use your icing to attach the bottom graham cracker to your base (cardboard wrapped in foil, or a sturdy paper plate). Use two half graham crackers for the sidewalls, a full graham cracker for the back, and another one for the top. Tip: add the back wall, then prop it up with a cup while you add the side walls.
- Let graham cracker stable sit until icing has had a chance to set up (15-20 minutes)
- Assemble Mary, Joseph, Shephards, and Baby Jesus while the graham cracker stable dries. To create these figures, slide gumdrops onto a toothpick. Baby Jesus is two gumdrops wrapped in a piece of fruit by the foot, resting on a small piece of graham cracker.Trim off the excess toothpick with scissors, if desired.Mary and Joseph are 3 gumdrops.The shepherds are 3 gumdrops with a fruit by the foot head covering. We also added a mini candy cane as a staff.
- The angel has two candy canes for wings.
- Use icing to attach the figures. Add a couple of animal cracker animals. Allow them to dry. Prop them up if necessary, but they should dry in about 5 minutes or so.
- Sprinkle toasted coconut around for straw.
Elizabeth Stalker says
Very sweet and great time to tell the story of Jesus’ birth and that that is the reason we celebrate Christmas.
Love it.
Nicole says
Where do I buy toasted coconut or did you toast it yourself?
Brandy says
Hi Nicole! I toasted it myself. 🙂
sherri wendorff says
Thank you for the nativity idea. We are going to make 15 of them at a cousin party next week.
Thanks
Brandy says
How fun!!
Leanne says
I’m going to do this with my Grandboys when they visit for Christmas. Such a doable craft with the true Christmas meaning.💚❤️
Brandy says
What a fun grandma! I love this!
Lana Cannon says
Saw this adorable idea last week. Two of my grands are spending the night tomorrow. So we will be doing this. Thanks so much for sharing.
Brandy says
What a fun grandma! I love it!
Frances Fogle says
Our church hosts an annual nativity exhibition with nativities from around the world. We also include children's nativities. We will definitely add the graham cracker nativity to our display this year. It is precious.
Brandy says
So fun! I love that your church does that!
Kippi says
Sweet project to do with the kids. Happy Holiday Season, Kippi
Jennifer Wise says
This is SO adorable! I love the idea of a gingerbread nativity. And it's so simple, too. Love it.
#inspirememondaylinkup
The Freshman Cook says
So sweet! I love that you made your graham cracker house a nativity! Every piece is adorable! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate it!
Marion Boyer says
We will be doing this graham crackers nativity for our second year. My kids love it, and it is becoming a tradition for our family. Thanks and God bless you!
Brandy says
This made my day, thank you! Such a fun tradition. 🙂
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies says
What a cute idea!! Love this - I'll share it with my sister who has little ones xx
Florence @ VintageSouthernPicks says
This has got to be the cleverest craft I've seen for kids in a long time! And it's a great way to emphasize the meaning of Christmas to the young ones. Love the idea of all the elements that make this up!
Brandy says
Thank you so much, Florence!
Natalie A says
I love this idea! I bet the kids love making the nativity scene and it entertains them. I pinned this fun nativity scene so I can use this later. I think it would be fun to make with my nieces and nephews. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
Your Graham Cracker Nativity scene is so cute. I used to make graham cracker houses with my kids when they were little but I love the idea of using animal crackers and gumdrops to create the Nativity. My kids are in their 20's now but I am collecting ideas for potential grandkids. Thanks for an adorable idea!
Brandy says
Thanks so much, Lisa!!
Brandy says
Thanks so much, Lisa!
Lisa/Syncopated Mama says
What a cute idea! Pinned & tweeted.
Brandy says
Thanks so much, Lisa!
Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says
So cute and fun! I should do this with my kids. Visiting from Friday Favorites party.