A CUSTOM NATIVITY TRIP NOT TO MISS
COM£ WITH us TO 6ERMANYIN ADJ/ENT 2002.
creche Herald has joined with currier Tours of st. Paul, Minnesota, a couple more than a company, with 11 years' experience in arranging custom Christmas Market Tours, to create for our readers a special trip for December 2002. The tour is limited to 24 persons.
Travelers on the 9-day tour, from December 2-10, will fly from Newark CNJl airport to Frankfurt, Germany. we shall then transfer to our charming hotel in the creche city of Bamberg which we shall use as a base for the entire trip. Just unpack your bags and enjoy the events. From there, on short daily excursions, we shall visit Nuremberg, the Inge Glas old Christmas Factory and Museum, the Marolin factory, as well as enjoy concerts, parties, Advent celebrations, and small town markets.
Everything is included in the $2,075 price of the tour: roundtrip airfare from Newark, your hotel room, breakfast and a four-course evening meal every day, service of an interpreter and guide throughout, all entrance fees and excursions, a luxury bus, and tips.
This is your preliminary itinerary:
December 2: Depart Newark airport in the evening
December 3: Arrive in Frankfurt, Germany in the morning. Transfer to a luxury bus to our hotel in Bamberg, with the afternoon free to explore. Bamberg is known as the Krippenstadt, or Manger Scene City, because of its annual display of creches. In the evening we have a reception, orientation and dinner.
December 4: With a special guide, we shall tour the creches on display in Bamberg, including a reception presentation by the city of Bamberg.
December 5: An all day excursion north to the area famous for toys, a tour through the Marolin factory and other visits, including the IngeGlas Old Christmas Factory Museum and shop.
December 6: An all day excursion south to Nuremberg, the most famous Christmas market in Germany.
December 7 and 8: These weekend days will be filled with a calendar of markets, concerts, programs, and parties around Bamberg.
December 9: A final day free for your own shopping and touring. A farewell program and dinner.
December 10: Drive to Frankfurt and fly nonstop back to Newark.
To reserve a place, send a deposit check of $200 made payable to Currier Tours; Mail the check to Creche Herald, 117 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096-3511.
Your registration is requested on or before June 15, 2002. After June 15, the price of the tour is $2175. Your $200 deposit will be fully refundable up until August 1, 2002. Final payment is due October 1, 2002.
For more information, contact: Creche Herald at e-mail crecher@op.net or write Creche Herald, 11 7 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096-3511.
A Pause for Prayer ....
At the Friends of the Creche Convention in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in November 2001, prayers were offered before the luncheon and evening meals. We felt those thoughtful comments might be an inspiration to all.
Luncheon prayer
0 God of all creation, you so willingly give us this life that we might celebrate among ourselves. We come to this convention of creche collectors celebrating and remembering that your Son, born in a manger, is the real focus of all that we do. As we contemplate the manger where He lay, we remember that it was a place for the cattle and sheep to find their food, their nourishment.
We pause in this time of meeting to also find nourishment. May we see you in the "manger" that is before us. May we receive your blessing that strengthens us for service to you. May we gather as the shepherds and magi to honor and praise your holy name. Let us also rejoice as we continue in our meetings and fellowship so that you may be glorified. Then may we sing as the angels, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all on whom his favor rests." Amen. Rev Charles I. Hull, Pastor, Christ United Church of Christ, Codorus, Pennsylvania
Banquet prayer
Gracious God: sometimes we eat because we are bored. Sometimes we eat because we are stressed. Sometimes we eat purely out of habit. Give us grateful hearts for the food set before us. Bless those who prepared it. Show us how to share our bread with those whose lives are at risk because of hunger.
God of surprises: sometimes we dash through life without beholding your wonders. Even we who celebrate the creche are often oblivious to how you come to us in the marginalized. Continue to inspire us with the passion to share our creches with others, so all may be led to serve and adore the one who came in the flesh and was placed in a donkey's feed box, and now is seated at your right hand. This evening surprise us yet again, this time with new friendships, infectious commitment to the creche, and a renewed sense of your awesome presence among us. In the name of Jesus, even the Christ. Amen.
Rev. Richard Rehfeldt, Ph.D.
Windsor Heights Lutheran Church of Des Moines, Iowa
Creche Herald
Editor/publisher: Rita B. Bocher
Contributing editor: Mary B. Herzel
Communications: Frank B. Herzel
Office: 117 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096-35 I I U.S.A.
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Awestruck shepherds admire the Holy Infant. From The Nativity illustrated by Julie Vivas
Books to Enjoy
Spirit Child. Translated from the Aztec by John Bierhorst. Pictures by Barbara Cooney. (Mulberry Books, William Morrow Co.,1984). First told by Aztec chanters, the story combines Biblical, medieval European and Aztec lore. From one of the first books published in the New World. Delightful for all ages.
The Nativity. Illustrated by Julie Vivas. (Voyager Books, Harcourt Brace & Co., 1986. Reprint). The Biblical verses are brought to life in delightful illustrations of glowing whimsey. Delicate watercolors celebrate the humbleness of the participants, along with their troubles and joys. Can be enjoyed by adults and the youngest readers.
The Night of the Child: Photographs from The Upper Room Museum Nativity Collection. Text by Robert Benson. Photography by Dean Dixon. Beautiful Nativities in the Museum's collection along with the author's reflections on the Incarnation offer new spiritual insights. (2001: Upper Room Books, Nashville, TN).
Before and After Christmas: Activities and Ideas-Advent and Epiphany. Text by Debbie Trafton O'Neal. Illustrated by David LaRochelle. (Augsburg Fortress Press, 1991. Reprint) Dozens of creative, simple activities, and lots of short stories One of my favorite activities from the book is: "Here's Baby Jesus" finger play. Here's Baby Jesus (Hold up one index finger) I'll put him to bed (Lay index finger in other hand) And cover him up (Fold fingers over index finger) All but his head (Leave tip of index finger out) And ifhe should wake, I'll put him right here (Put index finger to shoulder as if comforting a baby) And pretend that I'm Mary who loved him so dear. (Rock an imaginary baby in your arms)
A VIEW OF SAINT JOSEPH'S ROLE IN THE HOLY FAMILY
In the painting above, Saint Joseph, seen in shadow on the right, is absorbed in measuring with a pair of compasses on a tablet. This image of the saint as the earthly artisan, who is the surrogate of God the Father, the heavenly Artisan, is rooted in a long theological and iconographic tradition, reaching a high point of devotion to Saint Joseph in the seventeenth century. Indeed, the French artist, Nicolas Poussin ( 1594-1665) included the saint in twenty-two of his paintings .
This work shows, as many others of the period, an interest in Saint Joseph in his own right, a full fledged member of the Holy Family.
The Gospels indicate that during his adult life, Jesus was referred to as fabri filius, "the carpenter's son" (Matthew 3:55) . Many Fathers of the Church and medieval ecclesiastical authors believed that Saint Joseph's trade as Jaber, "artisan," makes him a figure of the Eternal Father, Deus Jaber, "God the Creator." The classical germ of this idea is the writings of Saint Ambrose, with whose works Poussin was familiar. In Commentary on Luke, Ambrose writes:
It does not seem out of place to explain why [Jesus} had an artisan/or a father. By this figure in effect, he showed that he had the Artisan of all things for a father, he who created the earth.
Ambrose's idea that Joseph took the place of the heavenly Father on earth was commonplace in the seventeenth century. It is found in the writings of many devotional authors, including Saint Francis de Sales and some members of the French School, which was simultaneously a school of spirituality and a reform movement in 17 th century France.
In Poussin's lifetime, the most important and widely circulated text that popularized Ambrose's thinking was the Sumario de las excelencias de! glorioso S. Joseph, by the Discalced Carmelite friar Jeronimo Gracian de la Madre de Dios. First published in Rome in 1597 in the original Spanish and an Italian translation, the book became a European bestseller, going through fifteen editions in four languages by 1648, the year Poussin did his painting.
Devotional literature and sermons of the time indicate that it was popular to speak of Saint Joseph as the shadow or the veil of God. That veil protected Jesus, making him the hidden God, Deus absconditus, until he was ready to commence his public life. The saint also was regarded as the shadow of the Holy Spirit which shielded Mary from the charge of adultery by the Jews, and hid the mystery of the incarnation from the devil.
In The Holy Family on the Steps, Poussin places a compass in Saint Joseph's hands, a Biblical and medieval attribute of God the Father as Creator. The saint in shadow alludes to the hiddenness of his singular dignity as the representative of God the Father on earth, as well as to his dual role as the shadow of the Eternal Father that concealed the God-child, and as the shadow of the Holy Spirit that protected the Virgin Mary. It can also be noted that the viewer's eye is drawn up the steps to the brightest spot in the painting-- the sky above Saint Joseph, possibly referring to the real Father of Jesus.
Adapted from Joseph F. Chorpenning, "The Enigma of St. Joseph in Poussin's Holy Family on the Steps," Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 60 ( 1997): 276-81. Father Chorpenning is editorial director of St. Joseph's University Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Painting reproduced courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.
The Holy Family on the Steps by Nicolas Poussin, 1648. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS DAZZLE VISITORS
by Judith Davis
beyond belief, delights all the senses. At the red and white striped stalls, eager vendors sell hutelbrot (fruitcake), lebkuchen (gingerbread), mandeln (caramelized peanuts), zwetschgenmannia (little figures made from prunes and dressed as chimney sweeps, and other colorful characters), rauschgoldengel (gold foil angels, a special symbol of the Market), and the most delicious smelling and tasting bratwurst, which, when accompanied by a cup of gluwein (hot mulled wine) can make a wonderful lunch or dinner, or even breakfast!
Other stalls sell traditional toys, Nativity figures and sets, nutcrackers, ornaments, books, fresh fruits and vegetables from around the world-almost anything you might want to make your Christmas special.
A few years ago, my husband and I visited Germany to experience first hand the special events of Advent. We flew from San Francisco to Frankfurt. Coming out into the international terminal we saw our fust German Christmas market, set up for people passing through. The display was overwhelming! Handblown glass ornaments, wood nutcrackers, Nativities of all kinds, and toys were surrounded by Christmas trees with red bows and fake snow. I wanted to take all of it home with me! Little did I know that this was only a glimmer of what was to come.
Just off the main highway between Frankfurt and Nuremberg lies the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage town of Bamberg, the first stop of our tour. Over a thousand years old, Bamberg is famous for its beautiful and charming old town center. On the last weekend of November , however, the town takes on a whole different aspect-that of Nativities , Nativities, Nativities.
From a small crib exhibit in the Maternkappelle in 1932 has come Der Bamberger Krippenweg (The Bamberg Crib Circuit), a wondrous array of 30 Nativity sites . Each site is special. Some display only one crib; others present a spectacular array of large collections.
We started with the Dom and viewed the Nativity reredos, dating from about 1523. From there we went to the Diocesan Museum which displayed its traditional krippe, as well as its collection of wax figures of the Christ Child, dating from about the 17 th century to the present day . Perhaps the most astounding exhibit for me was the Krippen der Welt in the History Museum. Never before had I seen so many new and different Nativities from so many countries, including a collection of traditional German cribs . In addition to the crib exhibits, all during Advent there are musical and theatrical presentations offered in many locations
From Bamberg, we drove south to Nuremberg and its Nurnberger Christkindlemarkt-for us the quintessential Christmas market. The extraordinary variety of its wares,
If you are looking for Nativity exhibits , there are several around town. At the Center of the Market is a life-sized Nativity Along the old city wall on the ·Street of the Artisans we saw a wonderful selection of German cribs Saint Eigeden Church has an annual exhibit of Nativities from around the world, as well as from Germany The exhibit, sponsored by the Nurnberger Krippenfreunde (Nuremberg Friends of the Crib) is beautifully presented.
This is a very small , but typical, presentation of what is available in Germany during Advent We have visited many markets and Nativity exhibits in Germany, but, for us , Bamberg and Nuremberg are the best.
Judith Davis, El Cerrito, California, has travel ed extensively to find special creches for her collection
GLOBAL GIFTS
A premier source of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind Nativities, GLOBAL 61FTS is forever finding new sets, new artisans and new crafting communities Our annual Nativity show and sale is a widely acclaimed event, where collectors from all over California and the surrounding states meet to share stories and peruse hundreds of creches from as far afield as Ireland, Kenya, Vietnam, and Nepal, made of dozens of different materials, including shell , beads, textiles, paper , and silver.
Check with us all year 'round for new developments and new discoveries , and to ask whether we can find what you're looking for. Staffed entirely by volunteers, GLOBAL GIFTS is a non profit store Proceeds go to UNICEF, aiding children in need around the globe Visit or call for information about our Nativities and hundreds of other unique offerings
6LOBAL 6IFTS, 529 W. th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
Tel: 310-548-1762
Cathedral in Bamberg, Germany
Photo by James Johnston
FROM OUR READERS
We are reprinting only a few of the many kind notes from attendees of the Friends of the Creche convention.
Attending the first national convention of Friends of the Creche was a dream come true. When airfares plunged in the Fall, I convinced a fellow Nativity collector, Sandra Leininger, to take the trip with me.
In the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch country, Sandy and I were treated to a feast of Christmas and creche events. FOTC had arranged for tickets to The Miracle ofChristmas, a dramatic musical production of timeless power and beauty. This play featured everything that makes it a mustattend, if you're ever near Lancaster at Christmas time: flying angels; live animals, and thrilling music.
Another highlight was the reception at the National Christmas Center. Only three years old, this inspiration of its owner, Jim Morrison, was a showcase for everything Christmas: an animated Christmas story; Nativities; a roomful of electric trains under a fanciful giant Christmas tree, and a first century Bethlehem of full sized wax figures.
The convention itself was a treat with displays and expert speakers from all over the United States. Each speaker was excellent.
Joan Hamblin, Danville, California
I have attended many conventions. This was one of the very best. Thanks to committee members for making this so memorable.
Rose Ford, Woodbury, New Jersey
Congratulations on a fine job.
Jean Skordahl, Oakridge, Oregon
It was a wonderful event. Thanks to all.
Randy Moore, Washington, Utah
December 24, 2001
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring except FOTC members putting Jesus in the manger.
Jim in his business suit and Rita in her sneakers, Were running about their knees a bit weaker.
The FOTC members were nestled all snug in their beds
With visions of the past convention still dancing in their heads
What a wonderful year we all had together
May each FOTC member work to make this world better.
Now I wish to each one upon this list
A wonderful year and a Christmas that is the happiest.
Rev. Charles Hull, Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania
In 1990, my oldest daughter was stationed in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm. She called to tell me that a friend of mine had sent her a small Christmas tree. This was just about a week before Christmas. She said that it would not be the same without a Nativity scene to put under the tree. She had looked at some shops, but of course, they did not carry them. I quickly found a very small glass creche that sat on the top of a mirror and mailed it to her. She said that it arrived Christmas Eve. Now she had her tree with the Nativity, and it made her Christmas away from home much easier.
I have many creches. This year I added a Native American creche in honor of a dear friend who is Choctaw. She and I went to Seminary together and are both ordained ministers.
Chaplain Glenda·Melson, Lebanon, Missouri
Interesting web sites: www.mcc.org/gallery/creche/index.html. Creche sets from Ten Thousand Villages and people who make them.
www .geocities.com/creche_ school/index.html. Site of creches by Jim Egan, Flagler Beach, Florida.
In this unique clay Nativity sculpted by Manuel F . Cunha of Portugal, Mary cares for the very human needs of her Baby by changing his diaper. From the collection of the Marian Library at the University of Dayton, Ohio.
FRIENDS OF THE CRECHE NOTES
Dear Friends of the Creche,
Although a few months have passed since our inaugural convention, the good feeling generated by that experience still lingers for me.
First of all, I'd like to say that I was most happy to be able to meet many of you and have at least a brief conversation. Being among so many kindred folks was a moving experience.
Second, I feel no hesitation in stating that the convention was a success. That was very evident in the remarks of so many who submitted evaluations.
Third, the experience in Lancaster means the Board and our members can look forward with great anticipation to our next convention in Fall 2003 in the Boston, Massachusetts area. We are most grateful to Father Tim Goldrick for his generous offer to volunteer as the convention planning chair for the 2003 convention.
Enjoying the success of the Lancaster convention doesn't mean we did everything right or that all was perfect. We are grateful to the 60 or so attendees who submitted evaluation reports. You pointed out a number of ways we can improve the next convention. Father Goldrick and the Board will take your comments into consideration as we begin planning for 2003.
This past Christmas season has given FOTC some national publicity. A segment of the national PBS-TV program, Religion and Ethics, included references to our society and scenes from our convention. A Washington Post article on creches also discussed the formation of our organization. This Post article was syndicated and appeared nationwide in papers from Hawaii to Rhode Island.
Looking at 2002, a non-convention year, I'd like to report the following.
Organizationally, we hope that in this year, the Internal Revenue Service will approve our application for tax-exempt status as a non-profit organization, and that the International Federation of Friends of the Creche will accept us as a new member. We shall also conduct our first membership election for at least four seats on the Board of Directors. The election will be announced in the Summer issue of Creche Herald, and will be concluded by October 2002.
Finally, we are planning a one-day open membership meeting in Frankenmuth, Michigan, on Saturday, October 26, 2002. This meeting will consist of an open business meeting and a program element, such as a speaker or event in the Frankenmuth area. You'll be hearing more about this October meeting.
As in every letter, I urge you, on behalf of the Board, to
let us know what kinds of activities you would like our new and developing society to undertake. At the Lancaster meeting we suggested the following activities: a photo project and a creche/church survey to learn of the creche tradition in the United States. The photo project is essentially a photo exchange among participating members interested in sharing a photo of one of their favorite Nativities. Mike Whalen of the Board would manage this activity. The creche/church survey is an effort to le.am something about the creches that churches currently display at Christmas. Members whose churches have a Nativity would be asked to obtain some basic information about the creche, such as a description, some history, and its source. We might learn some interesting things if you have interest in either of these activities. Let us know.
We are still in need of volunteers to help us construct and manage a website now that we have acquired the domain name of "Friendsofthecreche.org."
In closing, I hope that those of you who could not attend the Lancaster convention will be able to join us in 2003.
I realize that some of you may be unable to participate in any of our conventions. We, the Board, will keep you in mind and would particularly like to hear from you about the kinds of activities you would like. Please feel free, everyone, to contact me.
Warm regards,
Jim Govan, President (JimGovan@aol.com)
A Board member reminisces about the convention
Friends of the Creche members from around the country experienced the Christmas season anew. They mingled with others of common interest and appreciation. They listened to scholarly discussions of the history of the creche, details of creche construction and exhibition, cultural and ethnic variances as well as the Biblical and non-Biblical threads seen in the art of the Nativity. There was an opportunity to hear artists and artisans creating creches, and a time to share experiences such as viewing and collecting this art. On top of that, there were tours, theater presentations, auctions, door prizes, carol singing, as well as a banquet and buffet luncheon.
The Friends of the Creche convention evidenced a hunger to experience more, to share more, and to be informed more about the many-faceted tradition of the creche. Now to future quests!
Marjorie
Yefchak, Dayton, Ohio
LOOKING FOR THE CRECHE TRADITION IN CUBA
by Mary Herzel
A trip to Cuba in late November last year to see creches proved to be a challenge. Whenever I asked a local person where to buy a creche, the answer always was the same, "Creches are not a Christmas tradition here. Just a small artificial Christmas tree is the popular decoration."
A walk in downtown old Havana led us to Cathedral Square. It was filled with vendors hawking souvenirs and musicians seemingly beating only drums. The Cathedral dominated the square This was the church where Pope John Paul II celebrated mass in January 1998.
We walked into the splendid structure. Piped strains of Ave Maria floated throughout. There were few visitors. In a side aisle toward the rear of the church a young girl sat at a small table selling holy cards and rosaries
As I approached, I unexpectedly saw she also had a few miniature clay creches. They were tiny with miniscule Holy Family figures made of lead. The creches had been made by Roman Catholic nuns of a nearby town. At the price of $2.50 each, I purchased the few she had.
We then continued the search at nearby shops-all in vain. At one place, the salesgirl said she sold no creches but she personally owned one that her friend had brought her from Puerto Rico.
One day we drove to the small town of EI Cobre to visit the shrine of the Virgen de la Caridad de! Cobre (Virgin of Charity of El Cobre ), patron saint of Cuba. Suddenly, our bus rumbled to a halt. It was photo time. In the distance, the lofty red dome of the Basilica overlooked the spectacular green tropical valley surrounded by majestic mountains. Here, a dozen campesinos encircled us trying to sell large wreaths of golden sunflowers. These wreaths were for the black Virgin to whom miraculous powers are ascribed.
At the Basilica, we followed the crowds inside to see the small statue of the Virgin, dressed in a yellow satin gown, and surrounded by flowers. According to legend, in Spanish Colonial days, three fishermen were caught in a tropical storm. They were doomed to die when suddenly this figure of the Virgin appeared floating atop a board. The fishermen survived.
As I walked down the stairs to the main floor of the church, I could hardly believe my eyes. There, in front of me, enclosed in a glass case, was a large creche about eight feet wide. The Holy Family was surrounded by sheep.
A priest happened to come by and explained that the Nativity had come from Spain in the last century. It was on exhibit all year long. He said that churches in Cuba did display a creche on their altars beginning December 8 until January 6, although he felt that only very few families might have creches in the home. It seems the custom had disappeared after the 1959 revolution; in addition, poverty and the embargo did not help the tradition. He thought that in mid December there might be creches for sale in churches or in some shops.
In 1952, the American author, Ernest Hemingway, had dedicated his Nobel Prize for literature to the Virgin, placing it at her shrine . Now, I dropped a coin in the church box, hoping some day to return to see more creches. Mary Herzel, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, travels frequently.
This 1-1/2" high unpainted clay creche with tiny lead figures was made by nuns in a convent outside Havana, Cuba.
CRECHE HERALD NEWSMAKERS
More than 500 creches in the collection of Gary Grabowski, Pittsburgh, PA, exhibited at the Church of the Ascension, were featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Exhibit donations benefitted the Crafton-Ingram food bank.
The Friends of the Creche convention was featured on PBS-TV national television's Religion and Ethics News Weekly. Segment also showcased the collections of Jim Govan, Arlington, VA, the Marian Library, University of Dayton, Ohio, and Linn Howard Selby, New York, NY. Rev. Johann Roten, Dayton, Ohio, was interviewed, and the creations of David Doelp, Philadelphia, PA and Rev. Richard Cannuli, Villanova, PA were shown.
Rev. John Melton, Villanova, PA, and his collection were the subject of a picture story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Jim Govan' s exhibit at _the John Paul II Catholic Cultural Center in Washington, D C. attracted national press from as far away as Hawaii and Australia-even a Spanish language paper in Los Angeles. .He was featured in Our Sunday Visitor and a syndicated article in The Washington Post.
Creche Hunting in ... New Mexico by
Eileen Canty
New Mexico, influenced by the sixteenth century introduction of Christianity, a strong artistic presence, and the existence of Anglo , Spanish and native American cultures, is an outstanding site for creche hunting. My explorations have included museums , stores, galleries , and artist ' s workshops from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Taos. I have discovered na c imientos of wood , pottery , elk skin, cloth , metal , and jewels by American artists as well as many foreign ones.
Special markets and festivals offer opportunities for unusual items and conversations with the artists While I haven't yet attended festivals at individual pueblos or the annual Indian market in Santa Fe, I have located sets by pueblo artists at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (240 l 12 th Street NW, Albuquerque), the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum (108 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe) , and the daily Indian market in front of the Governor's Palace in Santa Fe.
The Spanish Colonial Arts Society sponsors both a summer Spanish Market and a Winter Market. Serious creche collectors will delight in hundreds of Nativity items , including colcha stitched wall hangings, hultos (carved statues or santos), retablos (paintings on wooden panels), paintings on elk skins and other hides, and straw applique. Prices range from ten to thousands of dollars with some negotiation possible. Commissions also can be arranged. This summer, I bought a retablo by a sevenyear-old emerging artist, a Nativity set by senior santero Frank Brito, and a scene by Marie Romero Cash, author and santera.
For information on special markets, contact the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, PO Box 969, San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566, and the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, PO Box 5378, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Also try www.spanishcolonial.org. My A-list of sources follows.
??? And Comments
Q. What is' the origin of the 12 Days of Christmas?
A. When Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire, the twelve days between Christmas on December 25 and Epiphany on · January 6 became known variously as the Twelve Holy Days , Twelve Holy Nights or Christmastide. Thus, January 6 is known as Twelfth Night.
It has been conjectured that the play by William Shakespeare called Twelfth Night , or What You Will was written for the festivities surrounding January 6
Creche Herald subscription information
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Enclose check or money order payable to Creche Herald. Mail to: Creche Herald, 117 Crosshill Road Wynnewood, PA 19096-3511 U.S.A.
Be sure to intlude name, address, telephone, e-mail.
Old Town, Albuquerque
Blue Portal: 2107 Church St., 505-243-6005. Crafts by senior citizens
Gus's Trading: 2026 Central SW, 505-843-6381. Native American and museum quality sets
Weems Gallery : 303 Romero NW, 505- 764-0302 Local artists.
On the way to Santa Fe Jil Gurule Artist's studio in Alameda. 505-890-1845. Call first.
Santos of New Mexico . Traditions Marketplace owned by santero and author Charles Carrillo Algodones, I-25 , Exit 257. 505-771-4871
Santa Fe
International Folk Art Museum, 706 Camino Lejo. 505476-1200. Wonderful gift shop.
Loretto Chapel Gift Shop, 207 Old Santa Fe Trail. 505982-0205. Local artists plus . Susan 's Christmas Shop, 115 E Palace, 505 -983-2127. Owned by Friends of the Creche member Susan Weber. Ranchos de Taos
big sun, 2 San Francisco Church Plaza 505- 758-3100 . Local artists . San Francisco de Asis Church Gift Shop, Church Plaza Local artists plus.
Eileen Canty is a collector from Marion , Ma s sachusetts ,
CtCarvings International is an exclusive distributor of unique gifts. We bring you the best selection of carvings from all over the world for all occasions. Choose from a great collectible selection of:
- Collectible Nativity sets, Creches, Christmas Ornaments and Figurines - Hand Carved in the Holy Land
- Crosses, Crucifixes and Rosaries
- Candleholders and Vases
- Jewelry Boxes, Brooches and Necklaces
- Statues and many more unique gifts.
2001 A CRECHE ODYSSEY-FRIENDS OF THE CRECHE CONVENTION, LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
Awards for Promotion of Creche Tradition
At their first convention, the Friends of the Creche recognized the following individuals with an Award of Excellence: Matthew Powell,O.P., Providence, Rhode Island, for his book, The Christmas Creche : Treasure of Faith, Art & Theater; Robert F. McGovern, Narberth, Pennsylvania, for his moving religious sculptures in wood, and Kevin Hanna, Norwalk, Connecticut, for his unique interpretation of the Nativity.
The Board of the Friends of the Creche gave an Award of Recognition to Johann G. Roten and to Rita Bocher for their efforts and accomplishments in promoting the tradition of the Nativity This award read in part : "Your initiative and guiding role in the formation of Friends of the Creche is a significant contribution which enhances the enjoyment of all who are dedicated to this beloved tradition."
Convention photos on pages 11 and 12 by Frank Herzel and Herman Rocher
Upper left: Margaret Bonaccorsi, Mary Herzel , Jim Morrison , Mary Bonanno, Jim Govan
Lower left: Holly Zenger, Jeffery Gueno, Randy Moore fill welcome bags
Upper right: Kim Lawton , PBS-TV interviews attendee
Lower right : Gary Grabowski , Jesus Urtasun, Christina Giglio, Caroline Haas
Center: Betsy Scott, Judith Davis prepare for the raffle
Upper left: Registration desk: David Colflesh, Betty Leroy, Julia Colflesh, Charles Hull
Middle left: Carol singing before the banquet
Lower left: Bill and Annalee Baker with their paper Nativity display
Upper right: Jim Govan, Rita Bocher at banquet podium
Lower right Catherine Rehfeldt with banner she crafted
