The Holy Family in the Stable coloring page

 This is my free coloring pages site. Yes, it is a blog too.

Today I am posting a drawing I did of the Holy Family.

They are depicted in the stable after Jesus was born.

The Holy Family in the Stable with Jesus in a Stone Manger

Jesus was and is the Creator of the Earth. His Father, our Heavenly Father, and His Heavenly Father commanded Jesus to create the Earth for us. Our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother are the parents of our spirits. Our spirits are inside our mortal bodies. We knew Jesus in our Premortal life. He was our eldest Spirit brother. Jesus had volunteered to pay the price for our sins... so He was to be our Savior. He had incredible power. He HAD to be powerful in order to create the Earth.

So consider that the Creator of the Earth was born in a stable. His bed was a manger - probably a stone manger. His parents were poor, not rich. They had just traveled a great distance. There had been no room for them in the Inn in Bethlehem. That is how they ended up in a stable for the night. So consider again that the Creator of the World was born in the humblest of circumstances.  He was the greatest example of humility ever!  His birth circumstances were so humble.

Then the Wise Men, probably a couple of years later, visited and gave valuable gifts. Those gifts helped the Holy Family flee to Egypt. The Holy Family became refugees because Herod wanted to kill Jesus. An angel warned Joseph in a dream and he fled with his family to Egypt before Herod's soldiers could find and kill baby Jesus.  (Although Jesus was probably a toddler by the time the Wise Men showed up.

I want to explain some of the details in this drawing. Some are symbolic, and some are representative of the times Jesus was born and what we know about the Holy Family. 

Note that Joseph is a strong young man. He was a carpenter, and that is a physically demanding career. 

Mary was certainly a beautiful young woman. In this drawing, she looks a little frazzled. She just gave birth in a stable.  Of course, she's frazzled. But notice that Mary has a relieved smile on her face. Her baby has been born, and He is the Son of God. 

Chickens are in the drawing, and chickens are Kosher food for the Israelites, including the presumably Jewish innkeeper who probably owned the stable. 

The black sheep is symbolic of how Jesus will save those of us who are the "black sheep" of the family. When anyone sins, and we all sin, He will show mercy if we repent. This is because he paid the eternal price for our sins. 

Notice the dove on the perch. The dove is a symbol of the Holy Ghost. 

The donkey is a Bethlehem Donkey.  They have unique features. 

There is a lamb because Jesus was and is the Lamb of God. 

The ox reminds us of Jesus teaching that we would pull our ox out of the mire - even if it were the Sabbath.  This is Jesus pointing out that we need to follow the spirit of the law more than the letter of the law. At least that is my take on it. 

The ox is also a symbol of strength. Jesus was the strongest man ever to be on Earth because he bore the punishment for our sins while performing His Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. 

Although often portrayed as wooden, the manger was more likely made of stone cemented together. 

The lamp represents that Jesus told us to be the light of the world so others would see our good works and glorify His Father in Heaven.

The horse is symbolic of royalty and strength, although Israelite kings also rode mules in ceremonial processions as a sign of their being kings of peace.  Jesus IS the King of Peace. 

You can see the Star of Bethlehem about to set if you look through the open window.

Baby Jesus is wrapped in swaddling clothes. These were long strips of cloth used to wrap babies and help them feel safe and comforted.

The ram in the back of the stable represents power, sacrifice, and leadership.  One day, Jesus will return, and He will have all power and be the leader of everyone on Earth. In fact, many of the Christmas hymns we sing talk about the power and glory Jesus will have when He returns to Earth in His second coming. 

NOTE: This drawing, in printable form, is found by clicking on the button labeled "Religious." Then scroll down to the bottom of the New Testament section to find this drawing. This will work if you are accessing this page in December of 2025.  ALSO, I will put this drawing under the "Holidays" button.  It will be found at the bottom of the list of Christmas drawings.