From Bread Bakers to Rocking Horses: Spain’s Magical Moving Nativity Scenes
Villaviciosa's Belén Tradition That Brings Christmas to Life
Anyone who moves from one country to another is going to make comparisons.
Some are mere observations (i.e., what we call the first floor in the US is floor 0 in Spain).
Some we see more as mysteries to which we one day hope to find an answer (i.e., why is there rarely hot water in a public bathroom in Spain?).
But sometimes, we make judgements. This is not always a good thing. But in the case of nativity scenes? Spain wins. No argument.
In the US, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus take center stage in a nativity scene.
In Spain? It’s not always easy to find the stars of the show.
In some places in Spain, a belén (nativity scene) is a true scene—not just the scene of Jesus’ birth, but the entire town of Bethlehem at that time. Though sometimes (like in Villaviciosa on the Camino del Norte) these scenes even include moving figures — and not just one or two.
a mother washing clothes at the outdoor, communal wash basin— her hands moving back and forth across the washboard; her child sitting on the edge nearby dipping his feet in and out of the water.
two fisherman working on their boat — one knocking a nail with a hammer, the other moving back and forth as he sands a piece of the wood
a woman watering her garden with water pouring sprinkling out from her watering can
a man lifting his feet up and down stomping grapes, another man cutting grass with a scythe
and, for a little humor, a woman’s hands holding a broom that moves up and down, whacking her husband on the head while he brings a bottle to his mouth.
I was pretty impressed but they got even more elaborate.
There was one where a boy played on his rocking horse with his mother watching nearby. As the sunlight faded to dusk, the doors to his home closed and the lights of the entire scene slowly dimmed. The other figures stopped their motions, and as night fell, the doors of the boy’s home opened and he and his mother were in their beds!
In another belén, a woman was in her bakery kneading bread—her hand pulled the dough up and then pushed it back down into the bowl. The doors on that scene eventually closed and, when they reopened, a pile of freshly baked buns sat in front of her.
If you’re not able to get to Spain for Christmas to see the belenes, I’ve got some good news: these scenes are up until Three Kings Day (January 6). Plan accordingly.
With love and best wishes for a wonderful holiday wherever you are,
Rebecca
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Rebecca Weston
Camino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)
Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com
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