Vermilionville is proud to have Kate Ferry return for another Les Mains Guidées  Saturday, December 3, this time, making Les Santons de Provence, traditional clay figurines that the Provençal make to place in the Christmas Crèche.

The crib is composed of figures called “santons” which formed French villages some centuries ago, the shepherd, the drummer, the village idiot and many others. The first Christmas crib known in France was set up in 1775 in Marseille. Nowadays they are set up around the end of November, or beginning of December and dismantled after Epiphany when the Three Kings join the other figures. The origin of the word “santon” is the Provencal noun “santoun” which means little saint. Santons are traditionally hand made of clay and painted by artisans, and you can have that same experience at our workshop. We will be making sanotns with Sculpey, which will then be fired and painted, and placed in the crèche.