Nativity scene

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A nativity scene, also called a crib or crèche (meaning "crib" or "manger" in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. In Italy is known as presepe; in Spain, spanish speaking countries in Latin America and Mexico the name goes between Belen (from Bethlehem, nacimiento or pesebre (from catalan pessebre).

Christian Nativity scenes, in two dimensions (drawings, paintings, icons, etc.) or three (sculpture or other three-dimensional crafts), usually show Jesus in a manger, Joseph and Mary in a barn (or cave) intended to accommodate farm animals. A donkey and an ox accompany them; besides the necessity of animals for a manger, this is an allusion to Isaiah: "the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider" (Is. 1:3). The scene sometimes includes the Magi or Three Wise Men, shepherds, angels and the Star of Bethlehem. The traditional scenes that show the shepherds and Magi together are of course not true to the Bible story, since the Magi arrived much later (Matthew 2:1-12) than the shepherds(Luke 2:7-16).

At Christmas time these arrangements are created and displayed in Catholic and Protestant homes, churches and parks.

For the Christmas season, two Nativity Scenes are put on display at the Vatican. The first is put inside the Vatican Basilica. The second, placed in the Piazza San Pietro before the Christmas Tree, was made by Saint Vincent Pallotti.

Although St Francis of Assisi is credited with the invention of three-dimensional Nativity Scenes, drawings and paintings existed earlier. The tradition was brought into Spain from Naples during the reign of Charles III of Spain.

In Provence, in the South of France, nativity scenes are sometimes composed of hundreds of small painted clay figurines, called santons, representing all the traditional trades and professions of old Provence. Because of their cultural value the santons are often collected as art or craft objects, regardless of their possible use in a nativity scene.

In Mexico and in certain parts of Central America, it is traditional to build the Nativity Scene on December 16, the day of the first Posada. In Colombia the christmas decoration, including but not limited to the pesebre and the Christmas_tree, is placed on December 8, a holiday know as dia de las velitas (candle`s day). Traditionally the scene is completed as time goes by. Baby Jesus is not placed in his spot until December 24 and in the following days the shepherd is placed. The Three Wise Men are not included in the Nativity Scene until January 6, Three King's Day. The Nativity Scene is not taken down until February 2, Candlemas, which marks the end of the Epiphany season. In Latin America is taken down near January 15, when holiday season is over and schools, colleges and companies are getting ready to start again on the first day`s of February.

In some places in Spain, such as Parets del Vallès, monumental indoor nativity scenes are built. They can be as big as 280 m², using more than 12,000 Kg of sand, 3,000 Kg of stones, 1,500 Kg of cork, and more than 800 figures. Light effects, water streams, rain, music, and automatons are used to give a realistic touch to the scene.

In Catalonia and the Basque Country, hiding in the background of the nativity scene is the caganer (Catalan "crapper"), a figure of a defecating man. There is no attempt at incorporating the figure into the narrative of the nativity; he is apparently a reflection of Catalan irreverence and scatological humour. Large public cribs often have a caricature of a disliked public figure as the caganer.

Cultural references

• In a christmas Mr. Bean episode, Merry Christmas Mr. Bean he beagn to play with a nativity scene in Harrods, including a T. rex, army tanks, a shepherd carring his herd in a truck and a baby Jesus being extracted from the chaos in helicopter, until a figurine of a Police man by the owner of the store stop him. In fact, in some countries kids play with the nativity scene using toy cars, action figures and toy soldiers while gown-ups are praying or waiting until Christmas eve at 12:00 am when presents are opened.

External links

• Roman presepi
• Nativity Scenes