Naples Christmas Alley – San Gregorio Armeno

San Gregorio Armeno, otherwise known in Naples as Christmas Alley, is always filled with people, but in the month of December, chaos and crowds define the street.

Over half a million tourists visit these small shops, which line both sides of the street.

Although the shops stay open throughout the year, the artisans are preparing for Christmas from September to the holidays.

I am amazed at the patience and skill of the craftsmen as I observe them carving and painting each object.

Complete Nativity sets, presepi, command high prices, up to 5000€. Various shops sell also a plethora of figurines and accessories to use in creating your own presepe. I recall asking the price of a small sheep as well as the artisan’s response, “Centoquaranta euro,” 140€.

Presepi play a role all over Italy, and the Nativity scene does not consist solely of Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the Three Wise Men. A whole village is created around the manger itself.

Neapolitans believe that they craft the best manger scenes, and hundreds are displayed throughout the city during the Christmas season.

Often the presepi figures are based on real people or animals and are called presepi viventi. Two of my favorite characters are the woman lowering a basket from a balcony, as well as another woman making sauce from tomatoes using a hand-held genuine tomato press.

The words here are from a page in Colors of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, my recently published photo book.

If you like this post, you may be interested in my book, available either on Amazon.com, or directly through me. I’d be happy to send you an autographed copy for the same price ($24.99) plus shipping ($5.01) – International shipping costs are higher. Contact me at margieeee@comcast.net

Have you visited Naples? Do you have your own memories to share? I’d love to hear them, so please leave a comment.

Ciao and grazie.