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Nativities are a deep-rooted Christmas tradition in the Catalan Countries and in Southern Europe, where they have been popular since the 17th and 18th centuries.

Nativities are representations of the birth of Jesus, with figures traditionally made out of wood and clay that appear in a scene made out of moss and cork. The figures include the baby Jesus, Mary the Mother of God, St Joseph, the three Kings from the East, the angel announcing the birth of Jesus, the shepherds and animals (an ox and a mule).

In our country, other figures are also popular, such as the washerwoman and, most importantly, the 'caganer' (depicting a figure defecating), often in the corner.

Nativities can be found at Christmas in people's homes, in churches and in public spaces. The tradition has been around for a number of years, along with the Christmas tree, a tradition that originated in Germany.

Increasingly popular, however, are live nativities with actors. In the Catalan Countries, living nativity scenes have been around for over half a century.