#pessebre

[useless-catalanfacts]

My Nativity scene:

Here is a photo of my Nativity scene. I have added close-up photos with the names of the most important scenes in case there are readers from a non-Christian cultural background who aren't familiar with nativity scenes.

Some people make very elaborate nativity scenes, with dozens of figurines representing all the shepherds and artisans doing old-time jobs... In my home we don't have that many, but I have the basic scenes.

On the night of December 24th (or the morning of December 25th, if we went to sleep before midnight) we'll add Baby Jesus (for now we're keeping him hidden behind the stable). From then until January 6th, the Three Wise Men move a few steps every day, until they reach the stable where Jesus was born on January 6th to bring presents. And, since we're a Catalan family, we have the pooper figure (el caganer).

[dioramas-worker]

La marcha de los Reyes Magos (2017)

Pesebre tradicional con corcho.

figuras de metal pintadas a mano de 15mm.

Pessebristes de Mataró. Curs de suro 2017 (Prof. Josep Mola)

[akcanzi]

Minicity

Plaça Sant Jaume - Barcelona

© 2019 Oscar Alcañiz - Please, do not erase this text if you reblog this picture

[betrosla]

Pessebre de Barcelona. 13/12/2018. Foto de Pepín.  

[useless-catalanfacts]

Like many other countries with a Christian cultural background, in the Catalan Countries we also have the tradition of making a Nativity scene at home, with figurines representing the shepherds doing all kinds of rural work and the birth of Jesus.

The nativity scene is set up in early December without the figurine of Baby Jesus, who will be added at midnight of December 24th to December 25th. From Christmas Day until January 6th (Three Wise Men Day), the figurines that represent the Three Wise Men on their camels will be moved every day a few steps, getting closer to the cave where Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the donkey and the bull are. On January 6th, following the shooting star, the Three Wise Men arrive to bring the presents of gold, myrrh and incense for the Messiah. And, on that same day, the children of the house will receive their presents as well. Traditionally, the nativity scene is taken down on Candlemas day (2nd of February), but nowadays most families take it down sooner, after the Three Wise Men day has passed.

In Catalan nativity scenes there's one special character: the pooper.

Hidden somewhere in the nativity scene, there is a man pooping. Even though nativity scenes have been done in Catalonia since the late Middle Ages, the pooper was likely an addition in the 17th or 18th century. Besides the traditional figurine with the man dressed like a Catalan farmer, nowadays there are pooper figurines made representing all kinds of famous people: politicians, the Pope, football players, singers, actors, cartoon characters...

Photos sources: Casal del Barri Trinitat Nova, deNadal.cat, Escola Les Fonts, Aerobús.

[useless-catalanfacts]

By DailyCatalan (Instagram, Tiktok):

Here's a collection of the scenes I liked the most from el Pessebre Vivent in Bàscara. This is an example of a "living nativity", a Christmas tradition in Catalonia in which people dress up and pretend to be figurines in the nativity.

Besides making a nativity scene at home with figurines, since the 1950s many towns in Catalonia and Andorra have developed the modern tradition of recreating a nativity scene with people.

It's not the same as a nativity play, because it's not a theatre play. It's a recreation of the nativity scenes. They can be static but sometimes also in movement (for example, the workers represented be actually doing the work instead of being "frozen").

Catalonia has its own older theatre Christmas traditions, most famously the play titled Els pastorets ("The Little Shepherds"), a humorous play about two shepherds traveling to see Baby Jesus' birth while devils try to lead them astray. Els pastorets is played in every town and city, put on by amateur locals, just like the pessebre vivent ("Living nativity scene").

[akcanzi]

Do not drink and drive!

Casa dels Entremesos - Barcelona

© 2019 Oscar Alcañiz - Please, do not erase this text if you reblog this picture

[akcanzi]

El pessebrista

Mercat de Santa Llúcia - Barcelona

© 2019 Oscar Alcañiz - Please, do not erase this text if you reblog this picture