Naples is famous for its crib tradition and it has even a road exclusively with crib shops: Via San Gregorio Armeno. In the pedestrian road in the historic city of Naples, you can admire numerous shops with creative nativity scenes and figurines in all variations. Besides the Jesus-and- Madonna figurines you will also find detailed copies of pizzerias, fruit markets, all household objects, gastronomic delights, exotic animals, and sometimes even caricatured politicians and football players.
This year a statuette of Italy’s first women Premier Giorgia Meloni is vying with those of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona and Britain’s Elizabeth II as the most popular buys for customers at the shop of master creche maker Genny Di Virgilio.
Di Virgilio, one of the top “presepe” artists on the iconic Via San Gregorio Armeno, said the depiction of a victorious Meloni, crafted even before her crushing September 25 election win, was “one of the most popular pieces of all, especially the small version, 15cm high, which costs 20 euros”.
Asked which were the top sellers at the moment for this Christmas, Di Virgilio told Un Giorno da Pecora : “Meloni for sure, together with Maradona and Queen Elizabeth”.
