https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7MgdJqiBno&feature=youtu.be

In years past in Haiti, nothing said ‘joyeux noël’ to many like the sight of fanals — those handcrafted, cardboard house lanterns of all shapes, sizes and colors — lighting up the balmy night skies on Christmas Eve. A fixture carried by throngs of celebrants in streets all over the country, from the largest cities to the tiniest hamlets.

Alphonse Piard remembers those lanterns well, from his days as a kid in Les Cayes on Haiti’s southern coast. He also recalls seeing those intricate crafts become a rarer and rarer sight each year.

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Ashley Miznazi is a Report for America corps member covering the Haitian community in the South Florida/Miami area for The Haitian Times. Her work will heavily feature photography, video and other multimedia storytelling. Previously, Ashley was a multimedia fellow at The Texas Tribune, where she reported on DACA, Afghan resettlement and the foster care system.