Martha Stewart proudly displays a clay Nativity scene that she created during her imprisonment. She is also selling an identical set for $150.
Talk show host and author, She spent five months in prison for conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges.
While in prison, she created the 14-piece, impressive nativity out of clay. Now, you can buy a replica to display at home.
The 80-year-old promoted the set on TikTok – which she described as a ‘really beautiful and special gift’ for the holiday season, which comes with ‘a little street cred.’
The internet branded it “Martha’s jailhouse Nativity Set”, making jokes about this businesswoman ‘capitalizing’ on her prison work.
Martha Stewart has a replica ceramic nativity scene she made in prison and is offering it for $149.
The impressive 14-piece clay Nativity she made while in jail was now available for purchase.
TikTok promoted the 80-year old’s set, which she called a “really beautiful gift” for Christmas. It also comes with some street cred.
‘If you’d like to give a really beautiful and special gift this Christmas with a little street cred, they’re all inspired by – guess what – a set I made when I was confined,’ Martha said in the clip, as she showed off the various pieces from the set.
These are replicas of the Nativity scene I did in pottery class during my time at camp.
The TV personality captioned it: ‘You’ll never guess where I made this nativity scene… Get ready for a story time.’
Many viewers quickly went to the comment section and shared their views. The situation was viewed as hilarious by most.
“Martha Stewart’s capitalization on her prison work, is energy that all of us never realized we needed this season,” one individual wrote.
Another said, “Not Christian, but these are my personal purchase. I’m going to use them to tell guests about Martha’s jailhouse Nativity.”
Another person said that only Martha can go to camp and bring back decorations.
Mary, what makes jail so luxurious? TikToker asked.
Only two differences exist between replicas and originals: they have a white glaze instead of light brown and they do not contain the inmate numbers.
They are not engraved with her Inmate Numbers on the bottom, so there are only two major differences between these replicas of the originals.
Set costs less than $150. It includes 14 pieces including Mary, Joseph and the three wise men. There are also shepherds and oxen.
Martha explained previously that she needed permission from Martha to create the ceramic pieces. Inmates could only make one per month.
The set, which costs just under $150, comes with 14 pieces in total, including baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the three wise men, shepherds, ox, camels, and more.
The description on her website reads, “The set creates the complete scene for the first Christmas.”
‘The figurines are about 6” to 8” tall (though some are smaller), and finished with a glossy ivory glaze that will reflect the shimmering lights around your home and provide an extra dazzle to the divine display.’
Martha was involved in an insider trading scandal back in 2001, when she sold about 4,000 shares of ImClone Systems – a company that developed cancer-therapy drugs and was run by her close friend Sam Waksal.
Insider trading refers to when someone buys or sells stock they hold in a company by using confidential information not available to the general public.
One day after Martha sold her shares, the company’s stock took a major dive because it was announced that the FDA had not approved their most recent drug, Erbitux.
Sam was charged with advising Martha’s friends and relatives to sell their stocks prior to the FDA making the public announcement.
Martha was implicated in an insider trading scam back in 2001 when she sold approximately 4,000 shares in ImClone Systems, a company which developed cancer-therapy medicines.
Following being allegedly warned by the company that its stock would soon tank, she was found guilty and sentenced for obstruction of justice.
Despite Martha insisting that she didn’t know about the FDA’s rejection before everyone else, she was eventually charged with securities fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. These two charges were acquitted.
After a five-month sentence in prison, five months house arrest and two years probation, the conviction was declared.
She served her time in Alderson Federal Prison Camp – located in West Virginia.
Martha showed the Nativity Scene on Martha’s 2007 show. She explained that she needed permission from Martha to create the ceramic pieces, since each month was a minimum.
“Even though each inmate could only do one per month and she was only there for five monthly, I begged her because I claimed I was an expert pottery – ceramicist actually- and that I would make the whole Nativity scene.
The internet quickly made fun of the ‘Martha’s jailhouse Nativity Set’ and branded it as such.
She has spoken out about her imprisonment over the years and called 2017 a “horrifying” experience.
‘It was horrifying, and no one – no one – should have to go through that kind of indignity, really, except for murderers, and there are a few other categories,’ she said during an appearance on Katie Couric’s podcast.
‘But no one should have to go through that. It’s a very, very awful thing.’
Harper’s Bazaar interviewed the expert in cooking to explain how her five-month stay made her stronger.
“I knew that I was strong coming in, and I felt even stronger after I got out,” she said.
Elle said that she wasn’t bitter about the experience, but she had ‘a lot of’ mental health problems while in prison. She didn’t want any further discussion.