P.S. Rome's Nativity Scenes
In Italy, nativity scenes outshine Christmas trees, and the Vatican's outdoor exhibition of them offers a peaceful detour from holiday chaos.
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Over the years, Rome has upped its game in its Christmas decorations — take Fendi’s Geometric Star Tree, Christian Dior’s gaudy White Wonder perched halfway up the Spanish Steps, and the countless streets of cobble-stoned Rome now dripping with flashing garlands and stars that dangle from many of its palazzi.
But, traditional, subdued Christmas still glows in St. Peter’s Square where its life-size nativity scene (on display in front of the Basilica) and the outdoor exhibition of others created by Italian creatives (featured under one of its porticos) capture the magic of the holiday like dollhouses next to a castle.
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