I have fond memories of setting up my mom’s Nativity set every Christmas above the fireplace and playing with the figures as a kid, and decided it was the right time and the right place to have my own set on our recent trip to Israel, which meant entering into Bethlehem.

To enter Bethlehem required us to cross into the West Bank, go through checkpoints and find a shop in Palestinian territory filled with wooden wonders. But we were not disappointed when we met a lovely family that has been making these wooden sets for generations.

This is the man behind all the wooden creations in his shop, and while he put the final touches on my set, we were allowed access to climb up on his roof and have an incredible view over the city.

We could also see the piles of chopped wood, which look not so glamorous but turn into lovely pieces of woodwork.

And whala! We’ve got ourselves a real Nativity set straight out of Bethlehem.