Final run from Rel’s Pittsburgh workshop · In 4 active carts · 31 left
Rel’s Nativity Scene Tin
REL GARIBALDI · PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
A Small Scene Stamped Before the Sight Goes
Rel Garibaldi is 68, a retired Catholic school art teacher from Pittsburgh, and he has been stamping tin in the tradition his Sicilian grandfather brought over in 1951 for most of his adult life. The diabetic retinopathy in his right eye has been progressing for three years. This is the batch he finished before the detail work became impossible.
The tin opens to a complete Nativity scene: Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in the manger, a donkey, a sheep, and a star. The lid carries a starry night printed over the stable — stamped from a paper pattern Rel found folded in his grandfather’s toolbox after he died. Compact enough for a narrow shelf, complete enough to be the only thing on it.
“My grandfather didn’t make things to be noticed. He made things to be kept. There’s a difference and you can feel it.”
Rel Garibaldi, retired art teacher, Pittsburgh, PA
WHY THIS PIECE
Three Details Worth Noticing
A complete scene in one compact tin
Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in the manger, a donkey, a sheep, and a star all together in a hinged tin roughly the size of a deck of cards. It can live on a narrow shelf, a windowsill, a desk corner, or a mantel without claiming more space than it was given.
The starry night lid from his grandfather’s pattern
The printed starry night in the lid comes from a design Rel found folded in his grandfather’s toolbox — the man who carried the tinwork tradition from Sicily in 1951. It closes over the scene when the season ends and reopens exactly as it was.
Made before his sight gave out
Rel’s diabetic retinopathy has been progressing for three years. This batch was finished before the fine detail work became something he could no longer do reliably. There is no restock after this run. What’s here is what he made before he had to stop.
FROM THE MAKER
I have made things with my hands my whole life. So did my grandfather. When I found that pattern in his toolbox I understood something about what lasts and what doesn’t. I made this tin so it would last.
Rel Garibaldi — retired art teacher, Pittsburgh, PA. Tinwork tradition carried from Sicily, 1951.
HOW IT COMPARES
A Different Kind of Piece
| What matters | This piece | Another approach |
|---|---|---|
| Scene completeness | Full Nativity: 6 figures plus star under a printed starry night lid. | Sets vary; check figure count before comparing. |
| Form factor | Compact hinged tin, approximately deck-of-cards size. | Other sets may be larger, looser, or not self-contained. |
| Maker story | Retired art teacher, grandfather’s 1951 Sicilian tinwork tradition, sight-loss final batch. | Mass-produced sets have no maker story. |
| Power | No power required; purely decorative. | Some sets include battery-powered lights; check listing. |
PLAIN-SPOKEN DETAILS
What’s Here Before You Choose
An honest note
Exact external and internal dimensions, tin composition, figure materials, and power details are not specified in the source listing. The scene and lid are product descriptions drawn from the listing. Treat as a decorative object with small parts — not for children under 3.
THE DETAILS
Specifications
| Product | Nativity Scene Tin |
| Container | Hinged tin |
| Listed scene | Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, donkey, sheep, star |
| Lid | Starry night printed over stable |
| Dimensions | Approximately deck-of-cards size; exact not specified |
| Care | Dust gently. Keep dry. |
| Safety | Small parts; not for children under 3 |
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is the tin?
It’s described as approximately the size of a deck of cards. Exact external and internal measurements are not specified in the source listing.
Which figures are included?
Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in the manger, a donkey, a sheep, and a star. The lid has a starry night printed over the stable.
Is it suitable for young children?
No — the listing identifies small parts and it is not for children under 3. Treat it as a small decorative scene.
Does it light up?
No light-up feature is described. Power details are not specified.
Rel’s Last Batch
This tin carries a tradition that began in Sicily in 1951 and passed through one toolbox to the next. Rel finished this batch before his sight made the work impossible. A complete Nativity scene in one compact hinged tin — the starry night lid, the small figures inside, the whole season in one place. Choose your pack while this run lasts.
800+ Happy Customers
Excellent 4.9 ★★★★★
What Rel’s customers are saying
Hung it on the tree and my mother-in-law asked immediately where I got it. The detail on the tin is so precise — it doesn't look cheap or generic at all. It looks like something passed down.
Bought this for my dad who has a nativity collection going back decades. He cried. It's that good. The hand-stamped look is unmistakably artisan. I ordered two more as gifts.
Tiny but with so much personality. I like that it's not plastic or glitter — it's actual worked metal. Feels like it belongs in a box of family heirlooms. Beautiful holiday piece.
Found this through a friend and ordered right away. The nativity scene engraving catches the light beautifully. Knowing the story behind it made it feel even more meaningful as a gift.
