Ever spent Christmas in Italy? Did you know that Christmas Day was 'invented' in Italy? The Italian Christmas has two origins with Christian and Pagan traditions from the Ancient Roman Empire. Saturnalia was celebrated the 17th - 24th December and was the pagan festival in honour of the Roman sun god Saturn (the god of harvest). In 4AD, the date for the birth of Jesus Christ was officially set as the 25th December by the church in Rome. Some theories say that this was set around the same time as Saturnalia so as to eliminate the pagan festival. The date eventually was recognised around the world as the official day for Christmas. Christmas in Italy is therefore primarily the celebration of the birth of Jesus, but also the birth of the 'unconquered sun'. The Italian word for Christmas, Natale, means 'birth'.

Italy in Christmas is a grand affair, with lots of celebrating, visiting family, and lots of food, (with meals lasting for hours!) Christmas celebrations officially start on December the 8th, which is the L'Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception). The official end to Christmas is January 6th, which is the date of Epiphany, La Festa dell'Epifania, when The Three Kings were believed to have reached baby Jesus. During this month traditional tunes played by zampognari can be heard in market squares around Italy (traditionally Latium and Abbruzzo), many presepe can also be seen, aswell as many traditonal cakes and sweets such as struffoli (in the south), and panforte or panettone that fill the windows of bars and patisseries. (See below section Symbols of an Italian Christmas)

Novena is the period of the 9 consecutive days of special prayers and church services leading upto Christmas (16 - 24 December). Around this time children might dress up in shepherds clothing and go carol singing from house to house.

Christmas Eve, (La Vigilia di Natale). It is traditional to fast for 24 hours before Christmas and celebrate with a large meal late night Christmas Eve called Cenone della Vigilia di Natale. Fish is eaten, (in some homes upto 7, 9, or 11 dishes prepared, depending on the local area's traditions!) The most traditional fish dishes for Christmas Eve, are capitone (a large female eel), or baccala` (salted cod) which can be eaten fried, boiled or steamed. Other fish dishes may include fritto misto dressed with lemon, (mixed fried fish), calamari or pasta with anchovies. Vegetables are eaten alongside, e.g. cold red pepper salad with anchovies, olives and breadcrumbs (pepperonata - a dish from the south), or fried vegetables (such as cauliflower) in batter. The meal is followed with Italian Christmas sweets such as panettone, panforte or torrone, and spumante (Italian champagne).The meal is traditionally eaten late at night, to finish in time for midnight mass. It is also traditional for a child to write a letter to their parents telling them how much he or she loves them. This is usually placed under the father's dinner plate and read after the meal. Midnight at Christmas Eve is also the time when baby Jesus is placed into the crib in the presepe. The Urn of Fate, similar to a lucky dip, is where members of the family pick out small presents from an 'Urn'. Each member of the family takes a turn to pick out a present until there are none left. In Rome on Christmas Eve, cannons are fired to mark the beginning of the holiday season, from Castel Sant'Angelo. There is also a midnight mass in St.Peter's Square. It is also traditional to visit the many presepe e.g. in local churches, or local displays. (The best place for this in Italy is in San Gregorio Armeno in Naples - see the Christmas page in our Naples section). Italy doesn't have the tradition of Father Christmas. Instead they have a good witch like woman called Befana who leaves presents for children on the night of Epiphany if they are good - or black coal (il carbone) if they have been bad. You will see 'coal' sweets all around Italy at this time of year made from black sugar.

Christmas Day There is a traditional morning mass, and at midday the Pope makes an appearance in the Vatican Square to bless the thousands that have gathered to see him below, or tuned in to watch him on tv (a bit like our 3 o' clock Queen's speech!) The big meal of the day is a late lunch. Dishes can vary all over Italy depending which region, but traditionally tortellini in brodo is eaten, followed by a meat dish e.g. roast chicken, turkey stuffed with chestnuts, or zampone ( a stuffed pig's leg covered in lentils). See the recipes page in our Naples section for traditional Neapolitan Christmas dishes. The long lunches are followed by various Christmas sweets, and the family sits around the table for hours, talking or receiving guests, or playing such games as tombola (like bingo). Christmas presents are not traditionally exchanged on this day, but at Epiphany, when it was believed the Three Kings arrived to see baby Jesus and gave him presents.

New Years Eve The large meal is a very late dinner, at home with family or in a restaurant with family and friends. Celebrations usually take place at home until at least midnight eating a meal, or perhaps in a bar or restauarant or piazza with many friends, going from bar to bar. There are many outside events held all over Italy, for example every year in Naples a large televised concert is held in the huge Piazza Plebiscito, featuring singers and tv personalities. There are also many firework displays all around usually taking place at midnight. Visit our Naples at New Year page to find out how the whole city gets lit up by thousands of firework displays all over the city, with people throwing fireworks from their windows (as well as old furniture)! If a meal is had at home, family and friends may stay around the table for hours talking, celebrating and playing card games or tombola (a family game similar to bingo) A traditional meal at New Year's Eve is cotecchino con lenticchie, which is a piece of pork (should be a pig's trotter, but can also be salami or a piece of pork) with lentils. Lentils at this time of the year symbolise money, and are eaten for good luck and for wealth in the forthcoming year.

Epiphany The official end of Christmas, when the presepe is put away, this is the day that Italians traditionally exchange Christmas presents, as it is said to be the day when the Three Kings reached Baby Jesus and gave him their presents. It is also the day when good children will wake up to see if they have received presents in their stockings from Befana, and naughty children will find black coal! (see Befana above).

Pictures courtesy of stock.xchang