NAZARETH, Israel — Sammy sells balloons down the street from Mary’s Well in Nazareth, the site where Christians believe the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the son of God. This year, he said, business is not good.
Each December, the streets leading down from the iconic Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well Square are packed with food stalls peddling hot potatoes and fried sugary dough, and vendors offering everything from knockoff pashminas to T-shirts and leather bags.
