A letter from our president, Heidi Heinz
Dear friends,
Christmas is practically around the corner, and in Seville it brings two very different symbols with it: the nativity scene (Belén) and the Christmas tree. I grew up with one – the tree – and adopted the other.
Before arriving in Seville, I used to think that once you had seen a Belén you had seen them all. After all, the ones I had seen – rarely went beyond the few figurines in a stable with a manger. Then, you have Seville: swarms of people, not just families, but couples, singles, young and old alike converge in the downtown area to visit their favorite Belenes.
The stunning detail and intricate work of each of these scenes is hard to describe for the new visitor. Some have cycles of lights that take the entire place through a day and night cycle in a few minutes. Some have devices that simulate rain and thunder. If you have children, they will probably want to go through more than once, which will give you an opportunity to find details you did not notice the first time around.
Then there is the tree. Although this tradition is not nearly as prevalent in Seville, it is gaining in popularity. City Hall has a huge Christmas tree in front of it, but it is made out of plastic. For me, a live tree is essential (family tradition); however, I have to recognize that the live evergreen firs in Southern Spain tend to look like Charlie Brown rejects.
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