Roma 2011: Christmas Creches

Unlike the U.S., where Christmas ends just after New Year's as stores begin to display their Valentine's Day merchandise, Christmas in Italy seems to last long into January. (I even saw Easter candy on display in a grocery store before I left for Rome; perspective: I go back to the U.S. only one week after Easter, in about three and a half months.) I've passed a few shops that are still selling Christmas decor in their windows, and San Luigi de Francesi, a church by the Pantheon I went in yesterday, was even playing Christmas music for visitors. Almost every church I've been in has still had its Christmas creche on display, most of which are very elaborate (reminding me a lot of my own Bethlehem scene at home):