Living Words

Italy's culture still has a strong religious component. It is not surprising that Christmas plays such a significant role in Italian traditions. This is not because of the commercialism that you might see in other countries, but for all the right reasons. The spirit of giving and the optimism that anything is possible. It's therefore not surprising that the nativity set is a major part of Italian Christmas culture. In the middle of the 13th century, St. Francis created the first outdoor live nativity set in a cave close to Greccio's tiny Italian monastery. The nativity was used by St. Francis to tell the Christmas story to the local population, who were largely uninformed and could not have read it. It must have been very meaningful to the parishioners that all the major characters were played by local people. The Christmas nativity set was born. Many small Italian villages still have live outdoor nativities. The idea of re-creating an indoor nativity for festive decoration

Are you making a promise to yourself that you will do your Christmas shopping early to ensure a stress-free holiday season? Only to end up shopping for Christmas gifts last minute and not knowing what or where it is. Planning is essential. You can probably find at least ten minutes per week to plan your Christmas list. You can have a stress-free holiday season by shopping early for the best Christmas gifts. If you aren't already, take a few minutes to make a list to help you choose the best Christmas gifts . Last-minute shopping is not the best way to find the perfect Christmas gift for your family and friends. An unthoughtful gift is better than no gift at all. To get the best Christmas gifts, you need to put thought into it. You don't know what Christmas gifts you should get or what gifts would be great. Find suggestions online or offline about the best gifts and where they can be found. Also, pay attention to the tips and hints from family and friends to help you make a list