Scissors, paper, and a lot of patience. What for decades was an almost secret practice, reserved for convents and a few expert hands, is now experiencing a true resurgence in Mallorca. The openwork wafers, a symbol of Christmas in the Islands, have left the churches and returned to the villages, with workshops full of people, new generations, and an official declaration as an Intangible Cultural Heritage Asset.

The Council of Mallorca has unanimously declared the preparation of the openwork wafers The traditional paper boats have been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage Asset of Mallorca. The protection of these typical island Christmas decorations, made with white paper, was approved just before Christmas, when they are at their most popular and splendid. It is "the culmination of a process" that began a year ago, when the Heritage Commission unanimously approved the safeguarding proposal, explained the First Vice President of the island institution and also Councilor for Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca. The file concerning the openwork paper boats was the first processed by the Advisory Council for Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was created last year by the Council of Mallorca with the aim of protecting and safeguarding the island's traditions and cultural expressions. For his part, the President of the Council of Mallorca affirmed that protecting this element "was a commitment of the governing team." Along the same lines, Roca justified the initiative, asserting that the wafers "are much more than decorations; they are culture, they are heritage, and they are a link between generations."