The Christmas holiday period is an annual event for most people. Whichever reason you’re celebrating for, these two weeks of merriment aren’t restricted to December. I found Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples this winter. I am not the first person to discover this as many flock to this street throughout the year.
A famous, narrow alley leading from one end of Naples to another, the magic of Christmas is year-round. If you walk down Via San Gregorio Armeno you’ll find artisans creating magical nativity scenes. These scenes are famous all over Italy, every family creates a nativity scene within their own homes and they travel to this street to make it happen.
Independent stores have been settled there for years and if you go off-season then you can see the talented artisans work miracles with what essentially starts as cork. The material of choice for the nativity scenes isn’t restrictive and figurines are also created to tell a story within every home. Whether you want to stick to the biblical stories or even if you want your nativity to depict a pizzeria with a stone oven, you’ll be able to find it all here.
The most beautiful part of going to Naples in December and even January is the sense of tradition and dedication. Tourists may swarm this street throughout the year but I was truly fascinated by the Italian families spending hours on Via San Gregorio Armeno, playing with the figurines, buying protective chillies (fake chillies that are supposed to protect the receiver from evil), and smiling as they strolled through.
There’s no sense of urgency as each and every ornament is created and chosen with a meticulous eye. Sometimes it’s about the small things you do to make the bigger things happen.
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