The Nativity - Cuban Christmas Tradition - Jewel of Havana Handcrafted Jewelry

A Cuban Christmas Tradition from My Family to Yours

12/9/2015

Today my parents completed one of their yearly Christmas traditions. In Cuba, the nativity was the center of Christmas decor instead of the Christmas tree. Not unlike we enjoy seeing Christmas light displays in different neighborhoods, in the Cuba of my parent's youth, you would go to see nativity scenes from house to house for the holidays.

Our nativity wasn't as large as this when we were little but each year it grew and grew and has now become something people start calling about before Thanksgiving - "Is it ready yet?!" with each call or run in on the street.

It takes my parents three months to build and is so detailed, I still find new things every time I go. If anyone ever wondered where I get my creativity and attention to detail... watch this video of my parent's Christmas Nativity. The figures are a collection of Fontanini figurines but all the details are painstakingly created by my parents.

I hope you enjoy this Cuban Christmas tradition

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! xoxo Ana

(P.S. An update has been added below the video by request)

Update! More Photos from our Cuban Christmas Tradition
(Who Knew It Was An Arts Market?!)

12/16/2015

Dear Friends,
I was overwhelmed by the response to my last blog post about my family Nativity tradition. So many of you were kind enough to comment here on the blog or sent emails with your beautiful thoughts and good wishes. I promised several of you I would add more photos so you can see details. The video above is a good overview of the entire display but with my last Baton Rouge Arts Market coming up this weekend, I realized as I was taking pictures today how many arts market and farmers market members are represented in the Nativity! (I told you I see something new every time I go!) Below are a few of my favorite vignettes.

Thank you for your wonderful messages. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas & a new year filled with much success and laughter! xoxo ANA

The Jewelry Artist Shop (The Original Jewel of Bethlehem)

The Clay Artist with His Kiln

The Roving Musician

The Musician's Shop

The Glass Blower's Studio

The Woodworker's Shop

The Basket Weaver's Shop

The Weaver's Shop

The Cobbler's Shop

The Bakery

The Dairy Farm

The Olive Grove & Oil Factory

The Farmer's Market

The Wedding Party

The Babe in the Manger
(with cameo appearance by our Security Department)

35 Comments

Linda Hollis

12/9/2015 08:10:41 am

What a beautiful and loving family tradition ! Thank you so much for sharing. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Linda Hollis

Ana Maria Andricain

12/10/2015 11:01:44 pm

Merry Christmas Linda! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

Sharon barnes

12/9/2015 08:15:49 am

This is indeed a beautiful work of art ! I can't imagine anything being more tedious than to create this astounding nativity..... I can certainly see your artistic ability pouring over from them!
God bless and good tidings to you and your family

12/10/2015 11:06:25 pm

Thank you Sharon! It is definitely a labor of love for them. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Toni Hudson

12/9/2015 09:02:14 am

Ana! This is amazing!! Thank you so much for posting this.

12/10/2015 11:07:27 pm

So glad you enjoyed it Toni! Wish you could see it in person.

Maria Watson

12/9/2015 09:34:38 am

Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Have a very Merry Christmas!

12/10/2015 11:09:29 pm

Merry Christmas, Maria! So glad you enjoyed it!

12/9/2015 09:35:28 am

Thank you for sharing. Beautiful. Have a Merry Christmas!

12/16/2015 04:55:30 pm

So glad you enjoyed it, Maria! Merry Christmas to you too!!

Sharon Cooke

12/9/2015 03:38:43 pm

Beautiful Ana Maria! This is exactly what we should focus on at this time of year...That takes a lot of work and patience to put together. Merry Christmas to you and your Mum & Dad!

12/10/2015 11:11:56 pm

Merry Christmas to you and your family, Sharon! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

Lauryn Hanley

12/9/2015 05:37:43 pm

Absolutely magnificent !!! Thank you for sharing the incredible talent God has given you all. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

12/10/2015 11:14:50 pm

Thank you,Lauryn. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. You are welcome to bring your family to see it in person. Just call me to make sure they are home.

Sandra Pearce

12/9/2015 05:44:02 pm

Very beautiful indeed. What a work of love and hope! Thank you for sharing!

12/10/2015 11:16:04 pm

Merry Christmas Sandra. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Pepin

12/10/2015 08:29:40 am

Que preciosidad! Muchas Felicidades a todos y mucha salud y prosperidad!

12/10/2015 11:50:53 am

Pepin! Si estan en el pueblo vegan a verlo!

Sandra Reyes

12/11/2015 08:34:34 am

Está hermoso, me encantaría verlo en persona 😀

12/11/2015 09:16:00 am

Sandra, si estas en Baton Rouge, llama a verlo. Todos estan envitados! Nadamas tienen que llamar para saber si estan en la casa.

Rosalinde Saizan

12/27/2015 12:13:17 pm

This is truly beautiful Ana. Thanks for sharing. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.. and restful one.

12/27/2015 03:06:36 pm

Merry Christmas Roz! I'm catching up on rest now & digging the studio out of the rubble! It was a great Christmas! You are welcome to come see the nativity in person! Just let me know when you'd like to go!

Joanne Hilton

12/26/2020 06:38:48 am

Amazing. Absolutely a gem. Thank you for sharing this.

Ana Maria Andricain link

12/26/2020 08:03:12 pm

Merry Christmas, Joanne! So glad you enjoyed it. Hope you are enjoying your new jewelry!! xo Ana

Lourdes

12/26/2020 08:18:52 am

Merry Christmas Anna!

Thank you for sharing your family’s tradition! It is beautiful! Beautiful memories !

Blessings,

Lourdes

12/26/2020 05:23:15 pm

Merry Christmas, Lourdes. I hope you are enjoying all your new jewelry. So grateful for your business this year. xo Ana

Sandy Pernotto

12/26/2020 11:15:50 am

Oh my goodness. This is just utterly breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing. After such a strange year we have all shared, this nativity setting certainly brings hope and goodness to a troubled world. May the peace and hope of Christmas be with each of us as we begin a new year.

12/26/2020 08:06:58 pm

Amen Sandy! Thank you for your kind comments. Wishing you a new year filled with health, success & laughter! xo Ana

Patricia Ryan

12/26/2020 05:14:19 pm

Wow! How beautiful the nativity is and thanks for sharing it with us. I can see the love that went into making it and the love of Jesus.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Pat & Patricia

12/26/2020 05:35:12 pm

Merry Christmas Patricia! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for all your support this year. So grateful for your business. Wishing you much health, success & laughter in the new year! xo Ana

Betty W. Roberson

12/26/2020 05:40:22 pm

Ana, thanks for sharing this with all of us. It has made my day! I love things like this, but the detail and thoroughness on this is unprecedented! I feel like I have walked the streets of Bethlehem!! This brings me such joy. Please tell your parents how I love it and will share it with all my family and beyond. Thanks so much! God bless you and all your wonderful family in 2021. Much love, Betty

12/26/2020 08:10:15 pm

Merry Christmas, Betty! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Dad & I wish you all good things this year and beyond. Please send our best to Jim. Here's to a healthy and fun filled 2021!! Thank you for all your business this year. We so appreciate you. xo Ana

Lisa Burke

12/28/2020 05:06:07 pm

Ana, thank you for sharing this lovely video. Your parents are so creatively blessed. I hope that they will be able to rebuild their special Nativity in 2021. Please give my regards to your parents!

Deborah Dunbar

12/27/2021 09:24:48 pm

Ana
The Nativity display is beautiful! What a wonderful piece of artwork. The details are amazing’
Thank you for sharing it with us!
Have a Blessed holiday season!

Debbie Dunbar

JoAnn

12/28/2022 04:50:25 pm

Ana, It's after Christmas (Dec. 28) but I'm just now seeing this. It's amazing. I am so excited to see what your parents have done. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful work of art.

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blog

A Cuban Christmas Tradition from My Family to Yours

Update! More Photos from our Cuban Christmas Tradition
(Who Knew It Was An Arts Market?!)

The Jewelry Artist Shop (The Original Jewel of Bethlehem)

The Clay Artist with His Kiln

The Roving Musician

The Musician's Shop

The Glass Blower's Studio

The Woodworker's Shop

The Basket Weaver's Shop

The Weaver's Shop

The Cobbler's Shop

The Bakery

The Dairy Farm

The Olive Grove & Oil Factory

The Farmer's Market

The Wedding Party

The Babe in the Manger
(with cameo appearance by our Security Department)

Leave a Reply.

Ana Maria Andricain

Categories

Archives

blog

A Cuban Christmas Tradition from My Family to Yours

Update! More Photos from our Cuban Christmas Tradition​(Who Knew It Was An Arts Market?!)

The Jewelry Artist Shop (The Original Jewel of Bethlehem)

The Clay Artist with His Kiln

The Roving Musician

The Musician's Shop

The Glass Blower's Studio

The Woodworker's Shop

The Basket Weaver's Shop

The Weaver's Shop

The Cobbler's Shop

The Bakery

The Dairy Farm

The Olive Grove & Oil Factory

The Farmer's Market

The Wedding Party

The Babe in the Manger (with cameo appearance by our Security Department)

Leave a Reply.

Ana Maria Andricain

Categories

Archives

Update! More Photos from our Cuban Christmas Tradition
(Who Knew It Was An Arts Market?!)

The Babe in the Manger
(with cameo appearance by our Security Department)