Christmas

Few places call to mind holidays atmosphere as much as Christmas markets do. They are definitely not usual markets, as we are used to see all year round in our cities. Christmas markets are veritable events, which change the look of the streets and squares…

Among the many characters in a nativity scene, you just cannot ignore the large amount of animals of any kind. The most “famous” are surely the ox and the donkey, which warmed baby Jesus with their warm breath. The former is said to have lured…

Dessert should not be missing from the holiday table. Let alone on the table of the Ultimate Holiday! During Christmas sweets of all kind play a fundamental role in Italian meals. The great classics, as panettone, pandoro and nougat, industrial Christmas desserts; in addition we…

Christmas, time for gifts. Actually, someone has already begun his rush to Christmas shopping; woe to those who find themselves unprepared, woe to those waiting till last minute, and make someone unhappy. It is such a pity that to some extent the fever for gifts…

The Nativity of Jesus surely symbolizes the highest and most meaningful moment of the Christian calendar. Every year this miracle repeats itself, along with its promise of salvation. The statues of Baby Jesus that look upon us from nativity scenes in churches, squares and in…

Since its first appearance in the popular tradition, the nativity scene has had the double meaning of deep and human expression of devotion, and work of art of absolute refinement and attention to details. Although the subjects represented were for the most part common men…

Christmas is the richest holiday in terms of sacred and profane symbolism, all intersected throughout centuries until they became an indissoluble and indistinguishable one. All Christmas symbols and the habits related to each one were preserved form generation to generation. From the Nativity to the…

The creation of a nativity scene is a moment of great creativity, which tests imagination and screening ability of those who make it.  Especially if you decide for a do-it-yourself nativity, where every single aspect of the scenography is the outcome of personal initiative, of…

In ancient times, the relationship between man and nature was much closer than itis today. Everyday life was inextricably linked to the alternation of the seasons, atmospheric precipitations, excessive heat, or excessive cold. Our ancestors certainly did not live an easy existence, victims of a…

Christmas is the holiday that more than any other influences every year all aspects of daily life. Even those who choose not to celebrate it cannot help but be fascinated, be wrapped and infected by the atmosphere that is created in the streets, in shops,…

It is always good idea to be able to build a homemade nativity scene, customising and enriching it with unique details, populating it with figures chosen on the basis of their own experience, childhood memories, or just for the sake of finding something familiar and…

For today’s children, accustomed to a constant and often too hectic flow of information, it is not easy to understand the true spirit of Christmas. For many of them it is just an opportunity to receive gifts and special attention, but it would be really…

When St. Francis of Assisi had the idea of reproducing the birth of Jesus, his intention was to make an important and beautiful passage of the Gospels available to the poor and illiterate, unable to read for themselves the events which are so valuable for…

The human and religious history of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis, has been linked from the outset to a particular figure dear to Christians all around the world: that of St. Joseph. A thin connections, made of often fortuitous coincidences and a chain…

Everyone has their own nativity. Not everyone sticks to the traditional nativity scene, which, we understand, is derived from many regional traditions in our country, like the Neapolitan terracotta nativity, or the wooden one from Val Gardena, the Lecce papier-mâché nativity or the ones in…

It’s the small details that make everything special. This is true in every creative, artistic and even culinary sector. The art of the nativity, both with its centuries-old tradition from artisans and excellent masters and its yearly renovation in homes, is not an exception. For…

Christmas is getting nearer and children are buzzing, waiting to pull the first nativity statues out from the loft. Today we want to talk to you about the Nativity itself and 10 interesting things about of the most important Christmas symbols. Etymology of the word…

Our country has a very illustrious and ancient tradition when it comes to nativity scenes. Since the medieval period, there has been a tradition of recreating scenes inspired by the night that baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It is a custom that expresses deep…