Author Login | Popular Articles | RSS Feeds | Sitemap

Home | Home-and-family


Christmas â€" Introduce the Beloved European Family Tradition of Collecting â€~Santon's'!

By:

Have you ever heard of â€~santons'? Well they are big for Christmas collectors in Europe. Santon is derived from the word 'santouon' which means 'little saint'. They are clay figures, hand painted and about 70 millimeter high representing 19th century French Provencal characters.

Many people have a real passion for collecting these figures. There are hundreds of different figures, animals and accessories from which to choose. There are bakers, millers, fishermen, water carriers and even bear trainers! It is popular for most families to add a piece or two every year to their home collections. Santon collections are considered family heirlooms which are passed down lovingly from parent to child through the generations. Each year families enjoy the fun of choosing a new addition or two for their collections.

Santon making is said to have began as a popular act of resistance during the French Revolution to the closing of churches during this time. Creches were before the French Revolution big business and were displayed in the churches where crowds flocked to view the elaborate designs. With the churches closed the people's beloved creches were no longer available for public access. It was Jean-Louise Lagnel (1764-1822) from Marseilles who started to make the beloved creche figures for people to purchase for display in their own homes. Jean-Louise was in demand with his affordable priced figures.

Jean-Louise Lagnel used the province of Marseille's and Aubagne's fine clay. He used small moulds and the casts were hand painted. It didn't take long for others to start perfecting his technique. The figures were referred to as 'creches for the people'. Soon santon makers added local characters and trades which became popular. The santon makers idea of using ordinary people from every day life on their way to pay homage to the Holy Family became an instant hit. Later santon fairs were held throughout regions. Today the oldest and also the largest (founded in 1803) is still alive and popular today in Marseille. It is held from Advent through to Epiphany. It is an event not to be missed!

Still popular to this very day is the art of santon making with workshops in many regions across Provence which visitors are welcomed as participants of workshops or to browse and purchase. The same techniques that have been practiced for centuries are still practiced today. It is an opportunity to see first hand works of art in the making as well as the opportunity to purchase santons as prized presents or for one's home.

Marcel Carbonel is renowned as one of the oldest and most famous santon makers in Marseille in France today. Santon Boutiques and workshops including Marcel's are open all year. You can even purchase santons online from most major workshop stores and boutiques in their online stores. Here are some you can Google:

Santons in Marseille - Atelier Arterra, Cabanon des Accoules and Marcel Carbonel

Santons in Aubagne - Lei Santoun Castelin Peirano, Santons Magali. Santons scaturro Daniel

Santons in Aix en Provence - Santons Cavasse, Santons Fouque, Santons Jouve, Santons Richard As one would expect santon's are not cheap! There are basically two styles:

1. Santons 'd'argile' which are hand painted clay figures, in six different sizes (from one inch to six inches). These are the most popular for French collectors and especially in size 2.

2. Santons 'habilles' which resemble small dolls dressed in cloth usually carrying everyday items such as baskets.

So why not introduce â€~santons' into your family this festive season. They are an opportunity to participate in a much beloved tradition that could soon become a tradition for your family. Collect and have fun. Share stories and folk tales related to the santons with your family and you too can enjoy this much beloved tradition today!

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Visit http://www.HoHoHoChristmas.com & sign up for our FREE Newsletter full of fun, tips, tools & resources & you’ll get our bonus f*r*e*e 10 day e-course - Amazing Ways to enrich your Christmas experience by The HoHoHo Expert, Bernadette Dimitrov, author of the world's best Christmas ebooks and audio books. Your resource for creating fun, meaningful and cherished memories today!

| Print | Ezine Ready | |

Recent Home-and-Family Articles

  • Pregnant Vegetarians: Are You Getting Enough? By: Billy Baker - Being a vegetarian while pregnant has always been a little concerning for vegetarian mothers-to-be for decades. However, evidence indicates there is nothing to fear as long as you are closely monitoring your consumption and ensuring you are getting the right nutrients for you and your baby. A vegetarian diet during pregnancy will require: * An extra 300 calories per day. A healthy pregnancy diet will provide all pregnant women, who are in a healthy weight range, an additional 300 calories daily. To maintain and develop a healthy baby, this is the added energy required.
  • Work at Home Job - The Choice Is Yours By: James Schramko - What would a work at home person's typical day be like? You wake up when you wake up, not when the alarm raises you. You take your time making breakfast and have a cup of coffee in front of your favorite mid-morning talk show. Then you go turn on your computer and check to see how much money you made overnight, while you were sleeping. You work for a couple of hours on your computer before your appointment at the spa or your tee time.
  • Understanding the Angus Beef By: Alice Campbell - Because people are more conscious about their health now more than ever, perhaps because of the mounting health risks in the environment, it is not surprising that a number of people prefer organic meat over other types of meat. One popular type of organic meat is the Angus beef. For some, buying an Angus beef is not worth it, considering that many believe that the Angus beef is not at par with more high-quality meat products.
  • The Truth About Home Remedies By: Alice Campbell - There are many reasons why a number of people are recently trying home remedies or natural cures. It may be because of the prohibitive cost of medicines made by pharmaceutical companies. It could also be due to the belief of many that home remedies and natural cures are safer and more effective than more advantaged drugs. Nevertheless, despite the criticisms home remedies and natural cures receive, the truth remains that they are continuously being used by millions and millions of people around the world.
  • Tuxedo Shirts- Give Yourself an Elegant Touch! By: Patrick143 - It is the desire of every person to look good to others and the clothing that one wears plays a huge role in creating such a favorable impression. The quality and color combination exhibited in the clothing, in fact reflects the personality of the wearer. All of us frequently attend functions and visit ceremonies in which we may run into a familiar face. Even if one attends a party where he recognizes few people, your attire will play a huge part in attracting others to have a chat with you.
  • Antique Reproduction Furniture - Add a Bit of Old World Charm to Your Interior By: Beaverbrook - Many of us share a love for Old World tradition and the classic elegance to be found in a fine piece of English or Continental antique furniture, but few of us can afford the four or five figure price tag that comes with the genuine article. Fortunately there is a solution. Antique reproduction furniture can provide the same look and feel at a fraction of the cost.
  • Fighting About Money? By: Alexis Martin Neely - Growing up, I think my parents fought a lot about money. I say "think" because I can't really remember it as I've blocked a lot of it out. But, I have vague memories of it. And, I'm sure after reading this, my mom will call me up to verify my memory. But, I do know they were not on the same page financially ... at all. My dad was the kind of guy who thought of money as "easy come, easy go." If he had it, he spent it. All of it.
  • Carpet Cleaning Hot Water Extraction By: Max Carr - Carpet Cleaning Hot Water Extraction Method Hot water extraction is classified as deep carpet cleaning methods. This is because it removes dirt and soil from deep with in the carpet pile. There are other types of cleaning methods like carpet shampooing but they are better suited for light surface cleaning and can leave large residue in the carpet after cleaning. This residue can lead to even dirtier carpet than before because it’s sticky nature will attract dirt instead of repelling it.
  • Carpet Cleaners Louisville By: Max Carr - Carpet cleaning can restore the colors and brightness of your old carpets. Most carpet cleaning companies however, make use of harmful chemicals and shampoos to clean your carpets. Stains caused by pets, blood or food are stains that are organic. They can usually be cleaned by any cleaner that is oxygen based. Stain removal can be a tricky business. Before using any chemicals on your carpet you should try them out on an inconspicuous area to begin with. Spills on carpet.
  • Carpet Cleaning Louisviille By: Max Carr - NeNearly all carpet stains can be removed as long as the stain does not have a chance to set in. At most you have a few days to get the stain out. Just remember the earlier you call a professional cleaner the more likely they’ll be able to help. Most methods do it yourselfer use concentrate on cleaning the surface of the carpet and don't address cleaning it from underneath.

Search Ebay

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!


Submit Your link to the Open Link Directory Project

Copyright 2005-2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
ArticleSnatch.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.