Sally O’Grady is sharing her passion of collecting with the Cranbury community this holiday season.
For all to see, O’Grady’s nativity set collection has taken center stage inside the Cranbury History Museum.
More than 150 nativity sets representing the birth of Jesus have been on display in the museum since Nov. 24.
O’Grady’s collection are mostly handcrafted sets that were made in Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, Slovenia, China, India, Japan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Slovenia, Poland and Germany.
“I am a general collector. My very first set I collected was from Mexico when I visited the country in the 1970s,” O’Grady said. “The Africa sets mostly came from my trip to the continent to visit my daughter. I have been collecting these nativity sets little by little.”
She said her sets from Africa are one of her favorites.
“The handy work that had to go into them is just amazing to me,” O’Grady said.
The caganer is a special nativity figure is also on display.
“It originates from the Catalonia region in Spain. The figure literally means the pooper or the crapper,” O’Grady said. “The background behind the figure is that it signifies fertility or the fact that babies eat and poop.”
She explained that the main reason it is still a part of nativity scenes is because it also signifies humor and being able to laugh at oneself.
The nativity set exhibit at the museum is called “Nativity Sets from Around the World; A Collection of Sally O’Grady.”
She said what attracts her to the nativity sets is there uniqueness and look.
“It is a blessing to show them at the museum. I just hope people appreciate the serious collection. This whole exhibit is from my collection,” O’Grady said. “I hope people come away educated on the different types of sets out there.”
According to O’Grady, more than 30% of the nativity set collection is handcrafted.
“When I had set them all out to get them ready to be displayed I was surprised at the total amount of nativity sets for the exhibit. I thought maybe I had a hundred, but more than 150 sets are amazing,” O’Grady said.
She said the best part of having her collection on display is seeing people’s reaction to the sets.
“I try to go the museum every Sunday. People end up being amazed themselves and that is the best part for me,” O’Grady said. “It is special to me that people can appreciate the sets as I do.”
She said next year, if the museum is available, she would like to showcase her nutcracker and nesting doll collections.
Advent calendars, books and pyramids are also part of the exhibit, O’Grady said.
The exhibition of nativity sets will continue to be on display at the museum through Jan. 26.
For more information about the exhibition, visit www.cranburyhistory.org.
