This Nativity scene weighing 3,300 kilograms of Chocolate is 20 feet wide, 10 feet high, created by 32 Chefs, and expert carpenters, sculptors and painters pooling their skills in 4,500 hours, decorated by 100 figures of shepherds, animals and townspeople with elaborate scene of hills and caves and Mediterranean-style houses, and is completely edible.

Now that certainly makes my mouth water, BUT what I just discovered was that
those creative Napolitan Nativity wood carving artists insert contemporary figures each year, with this year's personalities include Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, the two Italian women taken hostage in Iraq last September and then released.

In the past, Osama Bin Laden and US President Geo. W Bush have been featured.

ABC News
Reuters
Saturday, December 4, 2004

Christmas has never tasted this good - 32 pastry chefs in Italy have unveiled what they say is the biggest ever nativity scene made entirely of chocolate.

Over 4,500 hours and 3,300 kilograms of chocolate have gone into creating the creche, which is six metres wide, three metres high and totally edible.

"For us, this is an unrepeatable event, something which we will never be able to do again," pastry chef Antonio Castaldo said.

The Neapolitan team, working through the night in a spartan garage, not only included the area's finest pastry chefs but expert carpenters, sculptors and painters pooling their skills to produce the ode to the cocoa bean.

More than 100 figures of shepherds, animals and townspeople decorate the elaborate scene of hills and caves and Mediterranean-style houses.

The angelic-looking Madonna alone took two weeks to make.

Every year, the narrow cobbled street of San Gregorio Armeno in the heart of Naples comes alive as artisans peddle their often witty, hand-crafted nativity scenes.

This year's personalities include Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, the two Italian women taken hostage in Iraq last September and then released.

In the past, Osama Bin Laden and US President George W Bush have featured alongside Jesus and Mary.

But without a doubt, the chocolate creche has stolen the limelight this Christmas.

Lucky for the crowds that hungrily descended on the scene, its creators say they are considering donating the nativity scene to the city so that people can taste a piece of chocolate history in true Christmas spirit.

Chocolate nativity leaves Italians' mouths watering. 04/12/2004. ABC News Online
http://www.abc.net.au/news/
newsitems/200412/s1258081.htm