{"id":2285,"date":"2016-12-12T17:16:30","date_gmt":"2016-12-12T21:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.italyperfect.com\/blog\/?p=2285"},"modified":"2022-04-06T12:15:19","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T16:15:19","slug":"buon-natale-christmas-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.italyperfect.com\/blog\/buon-natale-christmas-in-italy.html","title":{"rendered":"Buon Natale! Christmas in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Italy has many nice ways, big and small, to enjoy the Christmas season. There is no better time to visit Italy\u2019s illustrious cities than during the Christmas season.<\/p>\n

The holidays kick off with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception \u2013 L\u2019Immacolata Concezione \u2013 on December 8th. This day is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. \u00a0Don’t start trying make the dates jive with a December 25th or a March birth date (as scholars think) for Jesus ,\u00a0the feast is to commemorate Mary\u2019s own conception. It is so important in Italy that the day is a national holiday. This leaves workers and students free from their obligations so they may attend special Mass services, as good Catholics are encouraged.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"parione_-_navonanatale03\"<\/p>\n

Anyone looking to travel in Italy during the holidays needs to prepare for a few lovely things. For starters: try the Panettone.<\/p>\n

Panettone \u2013 a bread with nuts, raisins and just a hint of sweetness \u2013 was first made in Milan but has since become a staple of the Holiday season in Italy. It is not uncommon for families to receive so many loaves from their friends or relatives that they end up giving them away \u2013 Italy\u2019s own socially-acceptable form of re-gifting.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry about finding a place to buy it because stumbling across a shop that does not sell panettone during the holidays would be its own miracle. \u00a0Those who happen to pass through Milan should try the Pasticceria Marchesi<\/a>, a shop that has been cited numerous times as one of the best in the city for panettone.\u00a0A final note of advice: this bread is only slightly sweet, thus Italians tend to eat is as a snack rather than dessert. In other words: enjoy this treat any time of the day.<\/p>\n

\"pietrasecca_marsica_zampognari\"<\/p>\n

Roaming alongside the shoppers in Rome are the Zampognari. These rustic appearing men with their strange instruments serenade throughout Italy during the holidays. These musicians uphold the tradition of the shepherds who heralded the birth of Jesus. Having brought their flocks down from the mountain meadows for the winter, they play music in the streets to celebrate\u00a0the advent of Christmas. Their music is unmistakable. They play a kind of bagpipe,\u00a0zampogna, that squeals and whines and drones and, personally puts\u00a0a lump, in my throat at the beauty of these traditions that reach across the centuries. They remind us of our childhood holidays in Italy when\u00a0we would run outside to greet them all dressed in their sheep skins while they played their strange music.<\/p>\n

All these traditions lead up the Christmas Eve, the highlight of which for many visitors is undoubtedly attending midnight Mass at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica<\/a>. Here the faithful can celebrate the season with Pope Francis himself.<\/p>\n

In Italy, Christmas Eve and Christmas day are about something we all love: food!<\/p>\n

A\u00a0traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal, born in the Southern regions, is known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes, more or less. There is essentially only one rule<\/a> for this meal, that is that is must be fish. Some families have seven courses, others opt for 12, one for each apostle. Either way, there will be no leaving hungry.<\/p>\n

\"800px-seafood_pasta_clams_food\"<\/p>\n

Christmas itself is a day to spend with family \u00a0and food. Shops will be closed to let workers enjoy the day as well. Another big meal is on the agenda: Christmas lunch<\/a>. Do not let the name fool you; when Italians sit down for lunch on Christmas they may be there well through dinnertime.<\/p>\n

Even when the day is over, the season is not. Venice plays host to one of the most spectacular New Year’s parties in the world. A masquerade at midnight marks the beginning of a New Year.<\/p>\n

The end of the season comes with Epiphany<\/a> on January 6th<\/sup>. On this day La Befana, the Christmas Witch, the Italian tradition that is similar to that of Santa Claus, visits families.\u00a0La Befana<\/a> is central to\u00a0the Italian telling of the Christmas story:\u00a0the three Wise Men stayed with her during their travels but she declined to join them when they left for Bethlehem. She later regretted her decision and now rides her broom giving out gifts to good children while looking for the newborn Jesus.<\/p>\n

\"tri_befani\"<\/p>\n

One last Italian tradition: anyone hoping for a visit of the Befana needs to leave something out for the witch. Milk and cookies? No.\u00a0Try a glass of wine and an Italian sausage;-)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Italy has many nice ways, big and small, to enjoy the Christmas season. There is no better time to visit Italy\u2019s illustrious cities than during the Christmas season. The holidays kick off with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception \u2013 L\u2019Immacolata Concezione \u2013 on December 8th. This day is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. \u00a0Don’t ... Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-italian-culture"],"yoast_head":"\nBuon Natale! 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