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Neapolitan Christmas & New Year
You can learn about Christmas and
New Year traditions around Italy by visiting
the Italian Christmas page. Here we include
extra information that relate to Christmas
and New Year specifically in Naples.
Things to do
There is never a shortage of things
to do in Naples at Christmas. Christmas in
Italy, especially in the south is very
family and religion orientated, and less
commercial than in England or the US; for
example, instead of focussing on letter
writing to Father Christmas, it is
traditional for children to write letters to
their parents telling them how much they
love them. This letter is placed under the
father's dinner plate at Christmas eve
dinner.
Being the city
dedicated to presepe (nativity scenes),
there are hundreds to visit. The largest one
being in Museo di San Martino, which is open
all year round. There are also hundreds of
figurines too. Another place is San Gregorio
Armeno and surrounding streets, which gets
so packed with visitors they make the area
pedestrianised and enforce a one way
system! (see below under 'presepe' heading).
Many friends
and family come over to visit for meals, and
people go for many passaggiate (strolls)
along Via Caracciolo by the sea, or Via
Toledo, a large shopping street in the
centre, where Christmas music is played into
the streets from speakers, and there is a
large Christmas Market in nearby Piazza
Carita`, full of stocking fillers, Christmas
gifts and sweets.
The streets
are very lit up with many Christmas lights,
and surrounded by religious shrines, presepe,
food, music and the many people shopping or
just hanging out with friends, there is a
very 'buzzy' and Christmassy atmosphere....
Naples is definitely worth a visit at
Christmas! New Year's is definitely an
experience too, with a live nightime concert
in beautiful Piazza Plebiscito, and the city
coming alive at midnight with fireworks!
O`
Presebbio
Along with
tombola,
zampognari and the
traditional Christmas menu on the 24th, the
Presepe or
o`
 Presebbio
(in Neapolitan) is one of the most important
symbols of a Neapolitan Christmas.
Presepi (plural) can
be defined as an elaborate nativity scene,
so apart from just a manger, the baby Jesus,
Mary and Joseph, you would also find for
example, the Ox and other animals (the Ox
was said to have stood near the crib and
kept Baby Jesus warm with it's breath), the
lights of Bethlehem in the distance, angels
hanging from pieces of wire, lakes or rivers
in the distance etc. There are many
craftsmen that continue this centuries old
art (see photo on right), building cribs,
nativity scenes and scenes from Neapolitan
life from wood, clay or plaster. One of the
most well known Presepe dates back to the
700s, and can be seen at the
Museo di San Martino
in
Naples all year round.
 Apart
from religious symbols, figurines and
nativity scenes, there are also an infinite
amount of other figurines and pieces
representing everyday scenes from Neapolitan
life and even political figures; pizza
ovens, market vendors with miniature baskets
full of tiny grapes, peppers or aubergines,
you can see figurines of Neapolitan beggars,
cheese shops.....each individual grape, tiny
piece of fruit, figurine's expression being
crafted with great care and patience by
hand. (see photo left)
read an
interesting article about a nativity scene
with gangsters, gypsy children and
transvestites...
The most well
known area in Naples for Presepe
shops and crafstmen, is the street
San Gregorio Armeno (see
photo right hand side) and surroundings,
which are long narrow cobbled streets
 in
the historical cente of Naples. This street
is acknowledged by UNESCO as a
World Treasure. All year round you can visit
the little shops and bancarelle
(stalls) packed full of Presepe, and may
even see craftsmen making new pieces. When
it is the Christmas period, it is no
exaggeration to say that these streets
become 'choc-a-bloc' with people visiting
the area; both tourists and Neapolitans who
may have come to buy new pieces to add to
their Nativity scene at home. It is
something not to be missed if visiting
Naples during the Christmas period, as there
is a very Christmassy atmosphere!
Christmas Tree Galleria Umberto
Each year at
Christmas in the stunning Galleria Umberto,
as well as there being a large presepe,
there is always a huge Christmas tree.
Children and adults write notes or letters
to Father Christmas, loved ones, parents, or
wishes for the forthcoming New Year, and
attach them to the tree. As it drasw nearer
to Christmas, the tree is covered in
hundreds of notes.
Pictures courtesy of stock.xchang
-making presepe & Xmas tree wishes
courtesy of flickr.com |
