‘It’s just part of Christmas’: Thousands of nativities ready for viewing in Walkerton, Ont.

3,000 nativity scenes have been put on display at a Walkerton church. CTV’s Scott Miller reports.

The annual ‘Thousands of Nativities Tour’ has returned to Walkerton.

Nativity scenes from around Grey and Bruce County, and from as far away as England and California, now grace the rooms at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Walkerton.

“Well, I like the displays. They remind me of back home in Europe. It’s kind of a truly Christmasy feeling that everybody should get, if possible,” said Helga Lorch, one of the first people to tour the nativity collection.

Nearly 3,000 nativities are on display. Many are made of typical materials, such as ceramics, or wood. But some are incredibly unique, such as the one made in Israel from olive wood, while another is made from bronzed nuts and bolts, and another is made from intricately spliced paper.

From kitschy to elegant, the ‘Thousands of Nativities Tour’ has almost every kind of nativity you can think of.

“It seems every year it’s more people involved in it, because everybody likes it,” said Lorch.

Lorch herself donated a nativity to be displayed for the rest of this month. Organizer Flora Nabrotzky says some people drop off their lone family nativity to be displayed, while others share their entire collection of more than 150 nativities.

“I did it for years for our children. My husband even made different little pieces to it. It’s just part of Christmas,” she said.

More than 300 churches across Ontario have helped source nativity scenes for this epic display.

Tours start Nov. 20 and last until Nov. 30 at the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints in Walkerton. It’s open weekdays and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is also free.

You can learn more by emailing [e-mail].

“I think it gives a lot of peace to people who don’t know where to find it anymore,” said Lorch.