The Provence Christmas Story a Tale of the Santons
Explore · Margo Lestz · Provencal History & TraditionsYou may know the traditional Biblical Christmas story, but in Provence, there is a bit more to it. The Provence Christmas story is told in a Nativity play called a pastorale. It incorporates the main details of the traditional Nativity but sets it in a nineteenth-century Provençal village.
…Continue reading here to learn about the importance of the shepherd’s song in Provençal Christmas traditions. Margo explains the characters in a typical creche scene, these tiny clay figures are called santons (little saints). In some villages and churches during the holidays, these nativity scenes begin to look like real small towns with figures that include bakers, millers, shepherds and many more.
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Mandarin and Cardamon Infused Almond CakeRelated Provence Articles
The Santons of Provence
December 15, 2015
Contibutor blog post by Victoria Koning @Mirabeau Wine: Sir Francis of Assisi established the tradition of nativity scenes in 1223 with live enactments by people and animals during the midnight mass on Christmas eve in his church of Greccio, Italy. The tradition halted after the French Revolution, when many churches were closed. In 1803 the …
Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël from the Writers at Perfectly Provence
December 23, 2017
Wishing you a Perfectly Provence Holiday The holidays are finally upon us with the stockings hung by the fire and another year of terrific Perfectly Provence content is behind us. It is time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for a joyful season. However, before we head out on a little …
Happy Holidays from Perfectly Provence
December 23, 2020
Holiday Wishes! It’s time to wish everyone all the best for this joyful season – Happy, Healthy Holidays! However, before we head out on a little technology break, we must acknowledge all our terrific contributors. Inspired by Provence Ashley Tinker is a Canadian transplant who readily admits that Provence inspires her photography. Curious Provence is …
Holiday Musings from Provence
December 5, 2016
Contributor blog post by Margo Lestz: As the holiday season approaches, I hope everyone is getting ready for some happy times with friends and family, or maybe just a nice, quiet break from the normal routine. Whatever type of season you are planning, I hope it is filled with joy. As for me, I’m working away …
No Comment