Seasonal Greetings, Best of Wishes: Return of the Christmas Pic Spam

[selenak]

As every year, we strolled around my hometown to admire the beautiful nativity scenes. You'd think surprised on the subject wouldn't be possible; you'd be wrong. As, for example, this creche showing an artisan building a creche:






St. Martin first, the former Jesuit church:







Then our local Cathedral, which in recent years has upped its creche game. Time was they just did standard things, but now their nativities always depict lovely individual scenes. See for yourself:



Details:









During the height of the pandemic, the exhibition of christmas creches in the small chapel of St. Matern wasn't held, but this year, they're back, and how. Let's start with Peruvian Bethlehem:




French Bethlehem:



The flight to Egypt via Jordania:



On to German Bethlehems. This is Rothenburg ob der Tauber providing the inspiration:



Meanwhile, Franconia:



The Three Wise Men taking a break en route:



Less refugee themed creches than there used to be the last few years, but the theme is still there in depictions of the search for an inn:



And here's the flight to Egypt via Poland:



This creche was made of an old barrel:



And a Franconian motive once more:



But seriously, my favourite this year among those exhibited at St. Matern was the artisan in his workship creating a creche:





On to visiting the Lutheran church, St. Stephen's. This one doesn't change its figurines, but they charm me each year. They also try include all the childhood events, not just the nativity. Like here:




Here the Three Wise Men are more like a posse:



The creche of creches, the nativity scenes of nativity scenes in Bamberg is, as in every year, the Obere Pfarre, aka Our Lady's. Overview:



Getting closer:



This year, music was a big theme, and so instead of bakeries or groceries, we get a shop for musical instruments:







And arguing musicians in Franconian Bethlehem:



And old lovers dancing:



Every year, there's a small cat statue hidden somewhere, and this year, it was close the main event. Can you spot it?



It's here:



The angels have their music going on as well, of course:



Meanwhile, shepherds and children of same:





And two Rokoko guys amidst the otherweise 19th century outfits:




But my favourite details is that you can see the individual bratwürste the tavern guests are eating:



To end this joyful pic spam on a somber but necessary note: the most touching, saddest detail was this candle in the cathedral, saying "peace light of Bethlehem":

Comments

[viggorlijah]

Thank you for that - I found the cat! And the little details are so lovely. To keep Lily calm we walked over to the Catholic Church to see their lights and found they had a crèche too! There is something like theatre and wonder and stillness in them.

[selenak]

I'm glad to share!

[mecurtin]

I didn't realize you were in Bamberg! My father was a professor of American literature, and he taught at Bayreuth for one semester in the 90s. He was working with people who were figuring out how to teach American literature & culture in the former DDR, because of course the curriculum was crap and all the teachers had been hired for political reasons where they weren't out-and-out Stasi.

Anyway, he and my mom, as was their habit, did a lot of art-&-architecture-related travel while they were there (this was his 4th stint teaching in Europe, though his first in Germany), and my dad fell in love with the sculpture of the Fürstenportal on the Bamberger Dom, specifically the figure on the far left here



"That's me, going to Heaven!" he said. "Goofy, but trusting."

He left instructions that when he died we should use a photo of that sculpture as part of the service, and we did--thanks to Wikipedia, it was very easy. He died in 2021, aged 94.

My mother died, aged almost 98, a year ago. Both my parents would have absolutely LOVED seeing your picspam, so seeing it really warms me in turn. I'll have to show this to my brother when he visits in a couple of days. Is it possible to see larger versions of the images? when I click I just get a Photobucket ad ... and I'd love to see e.g. the French one in more detail.

In the creche-maker's creche, does he have a bottle of Holy Water?

[selenak]

The bottle is titled "Gloria Wasser", so it might be holy water, or for an alternative liquor. :)

I'm glad you enjoyed the pic spam, and sure, I can send you the pics in high resolution - mail me with an email address at selenak at gmail dot com.

Your parents sound lovely. I'm glad they lived into a high age.

[trobadora]

I look forward to this picspam every year! Great as always. And oh, I love the recursive creche-building creche! Absolutely delightful. :D

[selenak]

Isn't it just. :) Good to know you're still enjoying my pic spams.

[vilakins]

Thanks for these - so beautiful! The artisan is my favourite too. The cat is a lovely touch.

[selenak]

Both children and adults have great fun each year looking for the cat. :) You're welcome.

[kore]

WOW, these are amazing, and so are your photos. Thank you for including the peace candle.

[selenak]

You're very welcome.

[avrelia]

Thank you! The most wonderful spam it is!

Merry Christmas!

[selenak]

And to you!

[rachelmanija]

I adore these. I think my favorite are the artisan's workshop, the dinner, the scene in a barrel, the musical instrument shop, and the kid holding a ball. Marvelous.

[selenak]

It's truly wondrous how creative people can get with these. :)

[mildred_of_midgard]

How lovely! I saw one (1) nativity scene this year (and I have walked pretty much everywhere!), and I immediately thought of you and your annual generous picspams.

[selenak]

That's what you get from living in ancient Puritan country. :) Good to know you enjoy the pic spams.

[mildred_of_midgard]

I guess, but like I said in a recent email, I feel like I live in Irish and Italian Catholic country! I saw a second nativity scene today, but it's Christmas Day and we're only up to two I've seen all season.

Anyway, thank you again for sharing yours! Your people are clearly very creative.

[watervole]

The detail is as amazing as always!

I'd swear there's a zither in the scene with the three wise men consulting their map!

And the carpenter's tools are wonderful. I particularly liked the drill on the end of his bench.

I realise I don't have a good sense of scale - how tall are most of the figures? I'm guessing around 30/40cm?

[selenak]

Hm, I'd say a figure on avarage is the side of my outstreched Hand.

[watervole]

That makes the detail even more impressive!