Clinton, Obama decorate Italy nativity scenes

NAPLES, Italy (Reuters Life!) - If you are looking for something different for your nativity scene this year, head to Italy's city of Naples where you can buy miniature replicas of U.S. presidential candidates to place next to your baby Jesus.

The production of handmade nativity scene figurines is big business in Naples and has been since the eighteenth century.

Thousands of angels, sheep and Marys and Josephs fill market stalls at this time of the year as shoppers choose their personal way to tell the Christmas story.

Tradition requires that the nativity scene be built up over time until Christmas Eve, when baby Jesus is put in the manger as the very last element of the display.

As always, figurine-makers provide a chance to choose a more lighthearted approach for the scene providing replicas of personalities who have made the news during the last year.

This year the American presidential candidates are on offer with miniature copies of Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama alongside Republican candidates John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani.

"I made the U.S. primaries nativity crib' said proud figurine-maker Gennaro di Virgilio in the packed alleyways of the Spanish Quarter.

"The figures are the top runners as U.S. president. Look, we have Hillary Clinton, Obama, McCain and Giuliani. I hope, however, that Hillary wins. I think she is one of the favorites in America. Her husband was a great man," he said.

Another popular figurine this year is that of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti who died in September.

But despite many making a special effort to keep up the tradition of handmade nativity scenes in the home at Christmas it maybe is not quite so important for the younger generation.

"I like nativity cribs but I prefer the Christmas tree, even if just by a tiny bit," said nine-year-old Francesco.

(Reporting by Gabriele Pileri, writing by Eleanor Biles, editing by Silvia Aloisi and Paul Casciato)