Let’s treat ourselves to some santons !
While waiting for your wheat to grow, take a tour of the Santons Fair that is taking place on the Old Port. A multitude of small stalls offer visitors their little painted clay figurines that you will find in the nativity scene. A santon is a small hand-painted clay figurine which is found in the nativity scene.
Usually, we must remain faithful to our santonnier (santon maker) so that the whole nativity scene remains harmonious. The originality lies in the decoration, the stable, the mountains, the perspective, the fountains, the waterways ….
As a family, we will collect moss, branches, berries, pebbles, everything that will make the decoration of the nativity scene, that we will install on a buffet or a table in the living room for everyone to admire on Christmas Eve.
In a traditional Provençal nativity scene you will at least find the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus), the donkey and the ox warming up baby Jesus, (even if in Provence, it is not so cold), the shepherds and their sheep, the ‘ravi’ (the simpleton of the village) with arms open in the air, shouting to whoever wants the hear that the Savoir was born, then all the small trades of Provence… and the character of the ‘pastorale’ (nativity play in provence) such as the angel, the blind man and his son, Jourdan and Margarido, Pistachié and the ‘boumian’ (the gypsy) that is usually hidden bahind a wall or a house. And for a touch of modernity this year you can even treat yourself to Professor Raoult !