The carpenter Jaume Nin, who has been an active member of the Nens del Vendrell for six decades, sought to commemorate the colla's centenary milestone, which occurs in 2026. This tradition of building nativity scenes for the Grup Muntanyenc La Lira Vendrellenca has been maintained for 56 consecutive years.
The nativity scene's design is based on an old photograph of the group's founders in front of the El Vendrell Town Hall facade 100 years ago. The artwork is divided into two parts: on the left, the old council facade with Nens del Vendrell members dressed in blue shirts (the original attire); and on the right, the current facade of the El Vendrell town hall with castellers dressed in red, the group's current color.
“"I dedicate myself to giving it color so that the wood has life, but it must be visible that it is made of wood."
The main Christmas elements, placed in the foreground, form the number 100 using a gralla (traditional Catalan shawm) and two timbals (drums). These instruments contain the caganer and the Nativity scene inside, respectively. For the past 15 years, the wooden artwork has featured the collaboration of Ferran Quesada for the acrylic painting, who is responsible for “giving it color, life.”
Members of the Grup Muntanyenc de la Lira Vendrellenca will travel this Sunday morning to the Sant Antoni d'Albinyana hermitage for the placement and a photo session. Subsequently, the nativity scene will be returned to the group's premises in El Vendrell for preservation. Currently, the work can be visited at Farmàcia Mestres in central El Vendrell until this Friday.
