Nativities and Festivals of Light debuted on Friday, Dec. 3, at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures. The exhibit will showcase crèche scenes from around the world, from Czechoslovakia and Germany to Japan and Italy. Ranging in size from miniature to large-scale, the nativity treasures are crafted from a variety of materials, including wood, glass, ceramics, bamboo, and metals. The origin of Santa Claus and the history of the Christmas tree will also be featured. Art and artwork regarding international Festivals of Light will highlight Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, and the Chinese Lantern Festival in conjunction with the Main Gallery display, a virtual program will be offered from 6-7:30 pm Tuesday, Dec. 14. Here We Come Wassailing: Christmas Traditions of Visitation will be presented by Maria Kennedy, Instructor of Folklore at Rutgers University. The Zoom presentation will explore the English custom of wassailing, displays of Christmas lights and nativities in Brooklyn, and a trek through the snow in the Carpathian Mountains in the Ukraine. Admission is $5 per Zoom connection, with tickets available at globalvillagemuseum.org.
The exhibit runs through Jan. 22, 2022. The Global Village Museum is located at 200 W. Mountain Avenue, and Museum hours are 11 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit globalvillagemuseum.org or call 970-221-4600.
