Posted on 12/05/2007 6:25:38 AM PST by NYer
NAPLES, Italy (Reuters Life!) - If you are looking for something different for your nativity scene this year, head to Italy's city of Naples where you can buy miniature replicas of U.S. presidential candidates to place next to your baby Jesus.
The production of handmade nativity scene figurines is big business in Naples and has been since the eighteenth century.
Thousands of angels, sheep and Marys and Josephs fill market stalls at this time of the year as shoppers choose their personal way to tell the Christmas story.
Tradition requires that the nativity scene be built up over time until Christmas Eve, when baby Jesus is put in the manger as the very last element of the display.
As always, figurine-makers provide a chance to choose a more lighthearted approach for the scene providing replicas of personalities who have made the news during the last year.
This year the American presidential candidates are on offer with miniature copies of Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama alongside Republican candidates John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani.
"I made the U.S. primaries nativity crib' said proud figurine-maker Gennaro di Virgilio in the packed alleyways of the Spanish Quarter.
"The figures are the top runners as U.S. president. Look, we have Hillary Clinton, Obama, McCain and Giuliani. I hope, however, that Hillary wins. I think she is one of the favorites in America. Her husband was a great man," he said.
Another popular figurine this year is that of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti who died in September.
But despite many making a special effort to keep up the tradition of handmade nativity scenes in the home at Christmas it maybe is not quite so important for the younger generation.
"I like nativity cribs but I prefer the Christmas tree, even if just by a tiny bit," said nine-year-old Francesco.
Thank-you, that flashing picture is killing my eyes. That is way too much!
Wow.
Or could it be because in the case of Mr. Giuliani, because in honor of his Italian heritage and it being a first to run for the position of US President, in this figurine’s designer’s eyes it brings great honor to Italy and to the native Italians.
This post induces migraines.
ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
Mind if I use that on a few site offenders I have? Seriously..
Can you PLEASE either make this graphic SMALLER or TAKE IT OUT, because this is driving posters NUTS. Thanks.
MCaine looks like carter and hillary looks like Kurt Russel in drag.
That it might certainly do. But how might you explain McCain?!!??!!?
It could be because the artist my have remembered the name, but otherwise it is anyone’s guess.
Point of order: that’s not a Nativity scene.
It’s a grouping of ugly dolls.
A Nativity scene includes Joseph, Mary, Jesus, an angel, some wise men, and assorted stable animals.
Actauly, it’s not anyone’s guess. Those who might click on the sites of Italian ‘giornali’ and get past the front page news of the rotundity of the Britney Spears’ back end or the appeal of the thighs of Lindsay Lohan or, from today’s newspapers “La sexy prof ci ricasca” (that would be the Debra Lafave story), would be informed that these are the 2 frontrunners. There’s no guessing required. This is Italian giornalismo. It is something, it’s just not journalism.
Actually, yes. Its Margaret Thatcher and Norman Tebbit!
The Italians didn’t get the leaders wrong, they got the wrong country, and the wrong decade!
And that’s STILL a better record than CBS.
So basically, one of those figures now is a candidate for:
The Antichrist.
Thanks for the DEEP, great morning phlem expelling guffaw.
LOL.
LOLOL!
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