PRESEPIO

                                                                By Annette Arena

 

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, I was very privileged to have a rather large family.  Fourteen aunts and uncles to be exact.  We all lived just blocks away from each other and all living in an apartment.  One of my aunts who is also my Godmother, was the the only one who owned a home.  It was the farthest distance from all the rest and so we had to take a bus or car to get there.  It was always an adventure to get there.  Their house was old and spacious with lots of character.  The living room had a rug, piano and lots of beautiful figures and furniture.

 

At Christmastime, my aunt and uncle would set aside a portion of this room to place a Presepio for the season.  It was magnificent!  The Presepio is the nativity scene that was begun by St. Francis of Assisi in the middle ages and passed on down to us today.  The figures were made of plaster (imported from Italy, of course) and could chip easily, so no one was allowed to touch anything. (not even me, the favorite niece).  There were three kings with jeweled turbans, lots of shepherds, sheep, angels and other figures from Bethlehem (innkeepers, merchants and so forth).  Of course, there were figures of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and a stable and stables animals.  All together, with no words necessary, the scene told the story of the birth of Christ.

 

When I grew up and married, I slowly watched my large family leave this world.  I began to treasure my childhood memories more and more.  How I wished I could have re-lived all the fun times we had on the holidays and most of all going to my aunt’s house by bus to see the Presepio in the living room.

 

I decided, therefore, to start one of my own and to continue this beautiful tradition.  I now set aside a portion of my family room to place together all the pieces of the nativity scene.  The figures are Fontanini, made of resin (imported from Italy, of course) so that they won’t chip and anyone is welcome to touch them.  My grandchildren even re-arrange the sheep and the shepherds to their own liking, and I pray that they too will always remember coming to my home (by car) to play with the Christmas figures and tell the story of Christmas with understanding and reverence.

 

As for video games, Ipods, Play Stations and Elmo, well, they can be bought all year long, but giving our family the true reason for the season is the best gift of all.

 

Merry Christmas and God bless everyone.