The Christmas season here, as in Europe generally, begins on St. Nicholas Day, December
6. I went to the mass at San Nicolás de Bari Church in Avilés, which was followed
by the procession of the saint. Led by the priests and altar boys and girls,
and followed by the Avilés municipal band, parishioners carried the wooden statue of St.
Nicolás on a flower-covered platform from the church, across Plaza de España
and through the streets of the old town. It was a beautiful way to start the
season.
The nave and main altar in the church.
Video of the procession.
The Ayuntamiento (municipal hall) and decorations in Plaza de España.
My street, Calle Rivero.
Calle La Fruta.
Calle La Cámera.
The Nativity Scene (called a Belén in Spain) is the primary Christmas
decoration in the home, rather than the north European and North American
Christmas tree. They often are mind-bogglingly elaborate. I know one man who
devotes an entire room to his and leaves it up all year. Avilés even used to
sponsor a competition. Judges would come to people’s houses and give out awards
for the best creations. It can take weeks to put them together, starting with
the construction of greenery-covered hills. Families often add a piece or two
each year, and have for generations, so it just keeps growing. The Belén always includes the traditional
manger arrangement, of course, but it also has scenes from local, rural daily life:
farmhouses, hórreos (in Asturias), gardens, livestock, rivers, ponds, fountains,
wells, windmills – just about anything you can imagine.
Cousin María Esther and her family build an enormous, traditional Belén in
their house near Naveces every year (starting in October).
Antonio took me out to see it, and it was absolutely astounding. It even had a
cascade and river with flowing water. It takes up half a room.
The video captures it better than the photos, though it still is too
short a look. I could have stood there for an hour examining each detail.
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