How to Pack a Christmas Manger

Perhaps one of the most meaningful Christmas decorations is a nativity scene. Often used as the centerpiece for a home's holiday décor, a nativity can be simple and inexpensive or a pricey family heirloom. In order to preserve your nativity for use from year to year, you must learn how to pack a Christmas manger for optimum protection.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bubble wrap
• Tape
• Plastic storage tote
• Plastic bags

1. Wrap each figurine in bubble wrap by running the wrap around the figure from top to bottom twice, covering it in two layers. Secure the wrap with tape.

2. Add two more layers running around the sides of the figure and tape shut. Tuck in any protruding "corners" of bubble wrap.

3. Obtain a plastic storage tote large enough to hold the Christmas manger and all the figurines. Line the bottom of the tote with two layers of wadded up, tightly fitting plastic bags. Garbage bags work best, but plastic grocery bags are also acceptable.

4. Center the Christmas manger in the tote. Pack the bubble-wrapped figurines in and around the manger. A snug fit is fine as long as you don't have to force anything into place.

5. Fill the remaining space with wadded up plastic bags. Lightly shake the storage tote to ensure that no movement of the contents can occur. If you feel movement, search through the tote to find the object with too much wiggle room. Pack plastic bags around it until it is secure.

6. Place the cover on the storage bin. Mark the outside for future reference and put away.

Tips & Warnings

• Newspaper and packing peanuts are not as useful as plastic bags. Newsprint can smear ink on the nativity scene and packing peanuts can break and allow too much movement within the tote.