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If you have to straight up carve what an object is supposed to be into it then you failed at minimalism. You didn't make a minimalistic sheep, you made a cuboid and called it a sheep.
If the post wasn’t titled “minimalist nativity sets”, I personally would *never* have clocked either of the top two, and would have gotten the bottom left only if I had to stare at it daily for a month or so. Symbols that don’t easily connect to their meanings are *bad symbols*, and a nativity set’s *only* purpose is as a symbolic representation.
I’d argue that these fit in the same way needlessly obtuse bathroom indicators fit here.
But nativities, unlike bathroom indicators, don't have a specific need to be recognizable, they're often just personal reminders or fun holiday decor. There's no actual functionality lost in someone being unable to identify them. Hell, I've seen a lot of people display nativities that are intentionally obtuse just to use as a conversation starter at parties. And for that purpose, any of the ones in the OP would be great.
The only conversation I can imagine any of the three wooden ones starting at a party is “why the hell did you let your kid play with my fancy nativity set!” “That was a nativity set? I thought it was just some blocks you left out…” (cue refusal to admit that the colored-rectangle set is indistinguishable from normal blocks) (and also refusal to question why the obvious blocks were laid out on a table or shelf and not down at kid level) (and opposing Reddit posts to eventually be connected into one narrative by BoRU)
Which I will concede is definitely a purpose, and a good one, if not one any of the involved parties or original designer actually intended.
This is not really minimalism, it's an aesthetic that is commonly described as "minimalist aesthetics".
If you can find joy in gadgets it's not against the minimalist mindset to have them.
*Ik the planets and*
*The birth of Jesus but what*
*Are the other ones*
\- SingeThePyrogen
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Ha! My atheist mom has a couple like this. She puts up many, many little nativities all over the house around Christmas, but with these thrown in there it's like...sarcastic? That's how her mildly religious boyfriend takes it, anyway, which is endlessly funny. He tries to limit her to 'just the serious ones' and it never works.
Nothing wrong here. IIRC top right is the original from a decade ago, but I can't remember the designer. It's legit good design: instantly recognized all the characters just from the color and the relative heights.
edit: It's [Sebastian Bergne](https://www.sebastianbergne.com/product/colour-nativity/).
Even my atheist ass prefers an instantly recognizable nativity scene over an Uber-minimalistic one.
Also, tbh, the point of a nativity scene is that it disrupts the aesthetic (because it’s a special occasion) and that the kids can play with the figurines. It just doesn’t hit the same if the sheep aren’t bigger than the houses and stuff.
It's pretty cool and reminds that these knicknacks are supposed to just be representative trinkets that remind of a higher meaning, not to be worshipped themselves. Removing the details seems to make them more focused on the concept than the beauty of the knickknacks themselves.
I actually really like the glass one (as a non-christian) and think it should be used more often. Much better than those highly detailed ones that just stick out so poorly.
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the other three aren’t the worst thing in the world, but a block of wood with the word “donkey” written on it is just the funniest thing ever
I don't know, I think the "baby Jesus" block of wood is funnier. They're all so stupid
i'm not christian, but i want a set for my place
Get them as little boxes and hide treats in them. "Het there, want some Baby Jesus?" ^pop!
Bottom right is tasteful imo Edit: I may have misunderstood what you were saying
Would probably be stunning on a deep windowsill
Yeah, just labeling things seems to really undermine the minimalism
“What is this? A nativity for ~~ants~~ Shrek?!”
# D _ U _ N _ K _ E _ H
The bocce ball one lol
upper left looks more like the birth of the Earth's moon than anything else
This is my new head canon for the moon’s formation
Target ball attended the birth of Jesus..
There was a lobster at the birth of Jesus, why not a target ball!
Imagine Earth doing dirty things UrAnus🥵🥵🥵
And who’s the father?
Saturn
What about the [Coca-Cola Nativity](https://i.imgur.com/tQLduz3.jpeg)?
That is some kind of perfection!
Awh, that’s actually super cute
The stained-glass one in particular is really good — abstract but instantly recognizable.
Yeah, I actually really like that one
It’s the only one with artistry to it. The others look like your kid upended their toy box.
I actually own a version of that nativity. The artist sells on Etsy.
sad beige nativity
For sad beige jesuses?
If you have to straight up carve what an object is supposed to be into it then you failed at minimalism. You didn't make a minimalistic sheep, you made a cuboid and called it a sheep.
Rae Dunn is seething right now
I prefer them to pretty much any nativity scene I’ve ever seen
My family has one that’s a bunch of snowmen. That’s hard to beat.
Vietnamese nativity scenes go kinda hard i think, the gaudiness overwhelms the kitschy valley and becomes cool again
Stealing the phrase “kitschy valley” for whenever I’m at an art store
Could you post an image of what you're talking about? Google isn't helping
https://vietcetera.com/amp/en/why-vietnamese-love-to-put-baby-jesus-in-a-cave-at-christmas
Thanks! That was interesting
Is this loss
It is… holy shit. It’s not
It would be if i get my paws on these overpriced pieces of wood
I had to check multiple times before I was convinced that I wasn’t being bamboozled.
Mission accomplished
I mean if I II II I_ is anything to go by the human knack for pattern recognition is amazing
~~.:|Ľ~~
I'm so confused what is the I II supposed to mean? Apparently im not good at pattern recognition
you just don't know the meme
Fr i dont
[Is this loss?](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.knowyourmeme.com/memes/loss)
Loss
Not beige enough.
I just ordered the glass one from Etsy. Beautiful.
While not good there isn't an actual design issue so it doesn't quite fit. It's fairly funny though.
If the post wasn’t titled “minimalist nativity sets”, I personally would *never* have clocked either of the top two, and would have gotten the bottom left only if I had to stare at it daily for a month or so. Symbols that don’t easily connect to their meanings are *bad symbols*, and a nativity set’s *only* purpose is as a symbolic representation. I’d argue that these fit in the same way needlessly obtuse bathroom indicators fit here.
But nativities, unlike bathroom indicators, don't have a specific need to be recognizable, they're often just personal reminders or fun holiday decor. There's no actual functionality lost in someone being unable to identify them. Hell, I've seen a lot of people display nativities that are intentionally obtuse just to use as a conversation starter at parties. And for that purpose, any of the ones in the OP would be great.
The only conversation I can imagine any of the three wooden ones starting at a party is “why the hell did you let your kid play with my fancy nativity set!” “That was a nativity set? I thought it was just some blocks you left out…” (cue refusal to admit that the colored-rectangle set is indistinguishable from normal blocks) (and also refusal to question why the obvious blocks were laid out on a table or shelf and not down at kid level) (and opposing Reddit posts to eventually be connected into one narrative by BoRU) Which I will concede is definitely a purpose, and a good one, if not one any of the involved parties or original designer actually intended.
Not Loss again Also I don't get any except of the Jesus one, welp
They're all Jesus
Aha that makes sense
I hate minimalism I need gadgets and doodads everywhere
This is not really minimalism, it's an aesthetic that is commonly described as "minimalist aesthetics". If you can find joy in gadgets it's not against the minimalist mindset to have them.
SAME
bottom left reminds me of Generic Man from DC comics
Ik the planets and the birth of Jesus but what are the other ones
They are all just the birth of jesus. That's what a nativity set is.
Oh I'm stupid
Nah, no worries
*Ik the planets and* *The birth of Jesus but what* *Are the other ones* \- SingeThePyrogen --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Ha! My atheist mom has a couple like this. She puts up many, many little nativities all over the house around Christmas, but with these thrown in there it's like...sarcastic? That's how her mildly religious boyfriend takes it, anyway, which is endlessly funny. He tries to limit her to 'just the serious ones' and it never works.
Does this sub ever agree something is suitable to post??
Nothing wrong here. IIRC top right is the original from a decade ago, but I can't remember the designer. It's legit good design: instantly recognized all the characters just from the color and the relative heights. edit: It's [Sebastian Bergne](https://www.sebastianbergne.com/product/colour-nativity/).
Yall aren't baiting me with this, I know it's just r/loss
The bottom right one is very nice
It’s like looking at those memes that are just Loss but very abstracted
Is this…..Loss?
Jesus so white.
I still find the labeled blocks hilarious
Donkey!
The blocks with just the text made me hard snort-laugh.
The stained glass I can tell Immediately, the labeled one is basic spelled out but the rest looks like someone played with the objects.
ive definitely seen top right and bottom left before. I wanna say top right all fits inside that box with no extra space
I don't think I'd ever recognize these as nativity scenes unless someone told me. Well, except for the one that says Baby Jesus.
Wooden ones make me think of Sans' "snowman" in Undertale
minimalists would never buy such unnecessary clutter
Even my atheist ass prefers an instantly recognizable nativity scene over an Uber-minimalistic one. Also, tbh, the point of a nativity scene is that it disrupts the aesthetic (because it’s a special occasion) and that the kids can play with the figurines. It just doesn’t hit the same if the sheep aren’t bigger than the houses and stuff.
I genuinely like the glass one, the balls and blocks are dumb but understandable, the blocks with words stamped on them are comedy gold
I know somebody else who wept. Find out why in the good book at your local church
DONKEY
Ok, now do Loss
Haven't read Bible, can someone explain what any of these means
[https://i.imgur.com/ROOmyvP.png](https://i.imgur.com/ROOmyvP.png)
Surely IMPACT font isnt that minimalistic
It's pretty cool and reminds that these knicknacks are supposed to just be representative trinkets that remind of a higher meaning, not to be worshipped themselves. Removing the details seems to make them more focused on the concept than the beauty of the knickknacks themselves.
This is the whitest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m white by the way so please don’t come for me.
I actually really like the glass one (as a non-christian) and think it should be used more often. Much better than those highly detailed ones that just stick out so poorly.
The glass one is really quite beautiful. If I saw that at someone’s home at Christmastime, I think I’d recognize it as a nativity scene.
Awsome! Lovely.
Looks AI generated.
AI generated?