Christmas – Introduce the Beloved European Family Tradition of Collecting Santon's! - by Bernadette Dimitrov

Christmas – Introduce the Beloved European Family Tradition of Collecting Santon's! - by Bernadette Dimitrov: "Have you ever heard of ‘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."