10 quirky nativity scenes to put you in the holiday spirit

It's that time of year once more: time to don the holiday sweaters, pour a hot chocolate, gather the family and stare at a computer screen scrolling through the best viral nativity scenes the internet has to offer.

Yes, not even the sacred tradition of celebrating Baby Jesus' birth is safe from being made ridiculous and that's OK, as long as it make it to the internet so we can all enjoy.

Here, then, are a few of the most interesting.

1. A nativity scene goes to the dogs

Whether or not there were animals in the stable where Jesus was supposedly born is apparently up for debate. But if there were, what are the odds they were all adorable dogs? Probably low, but this dog-only nativity scene shows us what COULD HAVE BEEN and it is very good, indeed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

2. A very Meow-y Christmas

OK, so dogs will pose for your nativity scene but a cat does whatever it damn well pleases. This includes crashing a nativity to play the part of Baby Jesus, but only on its own time. At least, that's what one cat did to a nativity in Queens in 2017. The feline looks plenty at home in that manger though not in the mood to be pestered.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

3. The Coke Can Nativity Scene

This one has spread so far and wide that it's nearly impossible to track down the original, but there have been enough versions that, well, we get the gist of it pretty easily.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

4. The All-Meat Nativity Scene

That is not a typo. Some enterprising folks created an all-meat nativity scene that is at once both wondrous and suitable for breakfast. Incredible.

5. Just some kids fighting over Baby Jesus

If you're going to go off-script for a nativity scene, as one child does in this video from Tennessee, you'd better be prepared for the consequences. In this case, that means facing the wrath of another child who plays by the nativity rules and will have non of your tomfoolery.

6. The Hipster Nativity Set

While the word "hipster" has seemingly lost all meaning, there's still plenty of comedy to be wrung out of this "Hipster nativity" set. Not because it's hipster (what hipster uses a Segway?) but because it does capture our tech-and-self-obsessed culture at its most unbearable.

7. The Cheesiest Nativity Scene

I don't mean "cheesy" in a groan-worthy sense, I mean, literally, a nativity scene made completely out of cheese. Nearly 90 pounds of it. Now, while some may see this as a waste of perfectly good cheese, others will just appreciate the craftsmanship necessary to create such a scene.

8. Nativity scene with a political message

Things don't go viral just because they're silly. Such is the case with this nativity scene from Indianapolis wherein Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus are put in a cage in a protest of Donald Trump's immigration policies. Reverend Canon Lee Curtis told Mashable earlier in 2018, "The holy family is every family. Every family is holy. We should aspire for families to be kept together ... [but] what's happening right now is indefinite detention."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

9. The NSFW Nativity Scene

You want more controversial nativity scenes? Well, you'd be hard-pressed to find something more controversial than the below scene, from Spain, comprised of only sex toys. Yes, that's Mary, Joseph, and the holy baby all represented as dildos. Not surprisingly, the sex shop where the scene was displayed was the recipient of vandalism and threats.

10. A Joseph & Joseph Christmas

Comedian Cameron Esposito lit up Twitter in 2017 when she shared the below photo of a nativity scene featuring two Josephs and no Mary. Of course, this set off a firestorm of debate but it also resulted in others sharing their own LGBTQ-themed nativity scenes.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

It's all a nice reminder that, no matter what kind of dumpster fire the world is, the lessons of warmth, love, and respect for your fellow human being are what matter most.