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A nativity junk journal gives you a gentle way to sit with the Christmas story all season, one small page at a time. This kit holds 22 scene pages that carry the story from the road to Bethlehem through the manger and on to the wise men, five seamless background papers for covers and pockets, and five lined writing pages for prayers, memories and Advent notes.
Print everything on heavyweight matte paper so the washes stay soft and the paper does not curl, and set your printer to its best or photo quality for crisp detail. Trim each page to your journal size with scissors or a paper trimmer before you glue anything in, and keep a quarter inch margin so nothing gets lost in the binding.
Using these images: free for personal projects such as printing, coloring, cards, journals and gifts. Handmade items that include them may be sold up to 30 pieces per design. More than that is commercial use and is not permitted, and neither is selling or sharing the images themselves or passing them off as your own. Please ask before any other use.
The Stable at Bethlehem
Picture a humble stable with a wooden manger, scattered straw and a donkey standing quietly, all lit by a soft golden glow from a hidden lamp, and there is your opening page for the whole journal.
Try pairing this page with the gold star and dove background further on in the set, using it as the facing page so the journey scene and the night sky sit side by side across the spread.
Glue a strip of the star paper along the inner edge before you add this page, so when the journal opens both pages feel like one continuous dusk.
The usual mistake with this page is rushing the angel and leaving her too small to notice; give her real presence above the hillside so she draws the eye first, then let the shepherds and lambs follow below.
Keep the glow around her soft rather than sharp, since a gentle light suits the quiet wonder of this moment far better than anything bold.
Three wise men ride camels across pale dunes beneath a single bright star in a lavender sky, their long shadows stretching ahead of them toward Bethlehem.
Write the name you have chosen for the baby, or a line from Luke’s account, directly beneath this page, since the soft lamp light here gives plenty of room for a short handwritten verse.
Gifts and Treasures
Tuck a small paper tag behind this page naming each gift, gold, frankincense and myrrh, so a reader lifting the flap learns what each ornate box once held.
A confident journaler might letter the three names in tiny script along the woven cloth itself, turning the page into its own little lesson.
This page suits a quiet child in a gift journal, the one who loves small creatures more than grand scenes, since the lamb resting here asks for nothing but a gentle look.
Both animals lean curiously over a wooden stall filled with fresh hay, their quiet presence a small reminder that the first visitors to the manger were simply the animals already there.
Place this page just before the shepherd boy page that follows it, so the journal moves naturally from the sleeping town at dawn to the hillside where the flocks are already stirring.
Shepherds in the Fields
Try the five minute version of this page by sketching only the boy and the lamb he carries, leaving the wider flock as soft painted shapes in the distance rather than fully detailed sheep.
A single dove carries an olive sprig above the sloped stable roof, a small quiet sign of peace resting over the whole scene below.
What goes with this page is a pressed sprig of real pine tucked just beneath it, since the carved figures and candles already sitting here invite a small physical keepsake from your own mantel.
For a Christmas journal built around home traditions, this page pairs naturally with photographs of your own nativity set each year.
Write a short prayer or blessing directly beside this page, since Mary’s quiet moment with the baby in her blue mantle gives the gentlest possible setting for a line of thanks.
A camel kneels beside a stone well with its saddle bags still loaded, resting in the shade of a palm tree after a long stretch of the journey.
Night Sky and Quiet Corners
Tear the top edge of this page gently before gluing it in, so the pale pink dawn sky behind the stable looks like it fades softly into the facing page rather than stopping at a hard line.
A shepherd’s crook leans against a low wall beside a woven basket and a clay water jug, all warmed by the glow of a small fire burning nearby.
Cut a small window into this page before gluing it in, lining up the opening so the lantern glow shows through from the lined page beneath it when the journal is closed.
This page suits grandparents keeping a journal for little ones in church pageants, since the tea towel headdresses and small crooks here make a gentle place to glue in a pageant photograph.
Write the date and the name of your church beneath this page each year it goes into a new journal, turning the candles and poinsettias here into a small yearly marker of where you worshipped.
A shepherd plays a simple pipe while his flock grazes quietly among silvery olive trees, the whole grove softened by the low afternoon light.
One wise man kneels low before the manger with his gift box held out in both hands, his camel and companions waiting patiently just behind him.
Cradle paste a small paper bell charm beside this page if you have one, since the little donkey here wears a blanket and bells that make a natural spot for a tiny tactile detail.
Background Papers
Small stars and slender olive branches repeat in gentle rows across this soft paper, perfect for lining the inside of a pocket, backing a photograph of a nativity pageant or wrapping a small gift tucked into the journal.
Gold stars and small doves scatter evenly across this page, well suited as a journal cover, a divider between sections of the story or the backing for a window cut page.
Woven straw texture and small wheat sprigs repeat gently across this page, ideal under a stable photograph, lining a pocket for pressed flowers or forming the base of a simple journal cover.
Pale blue and cream rooftops repeat in a gentle grid across this paper, a good choice for a town themed pocket, a journal cover or the backing behind the Bethlehem sunrise scene.
Small lambs and shepherd’s crooks repeat across this soft page, suited to a pocket lining for keepsakes, the inside cover of the journal or backing for any shepherd themed scene.
Lined Writing Pages
A small stable roof and a single star sit along the top border here, leaving space below for a prayer written on Christmas Eve, a list of blessings from the year or a letter to the baby in the manger.
Olive branches trace a soft frame around the edge of this page, a gentle spot for a gift list for loved ones, notes from an Advent devotional or a short reflection on the journey to Bethlehem.
A small manger scattered with straw rests along the bottom of this page, leaving room above for a menu for Christmas dinner, a family recipe passed down each year or a letter to next year’s self.
A slender band of wise men and camels crosses one side of this page, a fitting place for a short wish list, notes on gifts given and received, or a line about generosity you witnessed this season.
A small dove rests among laurel leaves in one corner of this page, leaving room for a closing prayer, a note of peace for the new year or a few words of thanks for the season just past.
What to Do Next
Print the full set, trim each page to match your journal, and start assembling from the stable scenes forward so the Christmas story unfolds in order as you glue and write.
Frequently Asked Questions
What paper works best for a nativity junk journal?
Heavyweight matte paper around 28 to 32 lb works best, since it holds the soft washes without curling or letting ink show through. Cardstock suits the cover and background pages, while lighter matte paper keeps the lined pages easy to fold and write on.
What printer settings give the best results?
Set your printer to its best or photo quality with matte or plain paper selected, never glossy, so the colours stay soft rather than oversaturated. Turn off any automatic colour boosting so the pastel palette prints true to the original pages.
What size should I print these nativity pages?
Standard A4 or US letter suits most home printed journals and gives enough room for gluing and trimming. For a smaller pocket sized journal, shrink each page to around 5 by 7 inches before printing to keep every detail legible.
How do I bind the pages into a journal?
Punch holes along one edge and bind with ribbon, string or simple binder rings once every page is trimmed to the same size. A long reach stapler or a bone folder and glue also work well for a more traditional handmade spine.
What do I need to assemble the whole kit?
You need matte printer paper, a glue stick, scissors or a paper trimmer and a few fine tip pens for journaling. Coloured pencils or watercolour touch ups are optional if you want to deepen any shading by hand.
Have any thoughts?
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