Christmas in Italy

Christmas in Italy may not look like Christmas back home, but it’s taken very seriously here and is an important holiday to all Italians. Christmas is “Natale” in Italian, and to wish people a Merry Christmas you’ll say, “Buon Natale.” Instead of images of Santa Claus everywhere, however, the Christmas image you’re going to see on display throughout the country - both in churches and outdoors - is the nativity scene. It’s called a “presepio” in Italian, and you’ll find them everywhere.

According to some, the very first nativity scene was, in fact, constructed in Italy in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi - he wanted a way to involve the local people in the Christmas story, so he built a presepio in a cave near Assisi in the town of Greccio where he then held the Christmas Eve mass. Greccio continues the tradition to this day. Generally, presepi are assembled on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with the baby Jesus added on Christmas Eve.

If you’re visiting Italy during the Christmas season (which lasts from December 8 through January 6), you can make a tour of presepi in just about every town you’ll visit. Naples is famous for the hundreds of nativity scenes throughout the city, Rome has an impressive selection, and the Vatican puts up a large presepio in St. Peter’s Square. One special nativity scene worth noting is in the town of Stiffe in Abruzzo, where a life-size manger scene is erected in a well-lit cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites, making it a unique and beautiful sight.

People do exchange gifts during the holiday season, but not in December. The most important part of the season is actually the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, and this is when children hang stockings out and when most people exchange presents. An old woman on a broom, not Santa Claus in a sleigh, is responsible for bringing gifts on Epiphany - she’s called La Befana. The legend of La Befana goes like this:

According to the legend, the night before the Wise Men arrived at the manger they stopped at the shack of an old woman to ask directions.

They invited her to come along but she replied that she was too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused.

Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. She got lost and never found the manger.

Now La Befana flies around on her broomstick each year on the 11th night, bringing gifts to children in hopes that she might find the Baby Jesus. Children hang their stockings on the evening of January 5 awaiting the visit of La Befana.

All this doesn’t mean that you won’t see a Santa-like figure in some places - although he’ll be called “Babbo Natale,” or Father Christmas. He won’t be as prevalent as you might be used to seeing, but he’ll be around, posing for pictures with children and spreading good cheer.

The traditional meal on Christmas Eve is meat-free (fish doesn’t count) and the traditional Christmas day meal is centered around meat. Christmas Eve masses are held in churches all over the country, usually at midnight, and many cities and towns have bonfires or public celebrations on Christmas Eve as well. Some places will string lights through town or put up brightly-decorated Christmas trees, but by far the more universal Christmas decoration is the presepio.

Northern Italian towns are also good for Christmas markets. These holiday markets are particularly popular in Germany, and the parts of Italy which are closest to Germany - especially the Trentino-Alto Adige region - are where you’ll find some of the best Christmas markets. Piazza Navona in Rome and Piazza Santa Croce in Florence are other sites with popular Christmas markets.

There are certain treats which are seasonal and only come out around the Christmas season - chief among them is the panettone from Milan (which is now popular throughout the country). It’s a sweet cake-like bread filled with candied fruit. You’re bound to see panettone in elaborate packaging in bakery windows leading up to the Christmas season. If you can, find a small one to bring home.

Even if you’re not particularly religious, there’s something very special about seeing a country pull out her holiday finery and put it on display. While Christmas is certainly a time for general celebration, it’s an important family holiday, so taking a vacation in Italy at Christmas might feel a bit like you’ve been invited into a friend’s home for the holiday. If you are religious, then making a trip to Vatican City for Christmas might be the realization of a life-long dream - so plan to be in St. Peter’s Square in time for the noon address by the Pope on Christmas Day.

Ms. Adventures in Italy has a great post about what’s going on in Milan in December 2007, including some Christmas-y events and some not-so-Christmas-y. This is also an interesting note about visiting the living nativity scenes in Italy. Also, don’t forget to read more information on what’s going on throughout Italy in December.

Related Posts

• Italy in December
• La Befana
• You’re Invited to the BootsnAll Holiday Party
• Weather in Italy
• The Last Supper

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