Last Christmas I was fortunate to visit the small town of Arada, Santa Barbara. The skill of local artisans was impressive. There are many people there who sell their crafts, such as weaving and the churro purse. In addition to their year round crafting, the residents of Arada use their creativity during the holiday season to make elaborate nacimientos or nativity scenes that they enter into the local competition for best nacimiento.The above picture is one of the first nacimientos I saw. The ornaments hanging from the ceiling are a typical feature of many Honduran nativity scenes. They represent the sky and stars. Another traditional feature is the floor of the nacimiento covered in toys that the owner has collected over the years. Underneath the toys is a covering of sawdust. It is very common for the nativity scenes to be open for public visitation, so the owner may close off the area like shown in the first picture. More from Arada to come...
