Christmas in the Sand

In places where the weather rarely changes, it seems the only way people recognize it's Christmas is because of the decorations. When I lived in Southern California, houses were decked with Christmas lights and fake fir bows. Front yards sported enormous plastic snow globes with Santa or Baby Jesus trapped inside like subarctic Bubble Boys. The Jewish population joined in with giant menorahs and dreidels the size of small cars. Here, the order of the day is the Nativity scene. 

Unlike the American versions which seem content with a shed, a few main characters, and a handful of sheep, the Spanish go all out. Their decor strives to recreate the entire town of Bethlehem, from manger to mansion and from village innkeeper to village idiot. Though I've never seen them, Ruyman swears that traditional Belens, or Bethlehems, come complete with a pair of men relieving themselves behind bushes or on the walls of taverns. (I have a feeling why that's live nativities never caught on here. No one was left to play the other parts.)

In Las Palmas on Gran Canaria, we had a chance to see a very special Belen, one unique even by Spanish standards. It was made entirely of sand. Here's what it looked like.