Whether it’s wearing a tea towel over your head in that starring role as a shepherd, or the small display that’s sat beneath the tree year after year, becoming a family heirloom, the Nativity is at the heart of all our Christmas memories. For artisan, Pilar Alén, it was also responsible for her discovery of miniature art. “In Spain, there is a tradition of setting up a Nativity scene, known as a Bethlehem Portal, during Christmas, symbolizing the birth of baby Jesus,” she tells me. “In my family, we followed this tradition, and since I was a child, I've witnessed my mother meticulously crafting that diorama, replete with miniature figures and details. As I grew older, I began collaborating with my brother, Miguel Angel, constructing larger structures and characters on…
