My Italian Family at Christmas

 I've been in Italy for almost 10 Christmas seasons now and enjoying them more and more. 
 
The holiday season doesn't start until just before Christmas day, though decorating the house can start after Dec. 8th (the Immaculate Conception) and lasts until the Epiphany which is Jan 6th, hence ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’. The Epiphany is celebrated on the 12th day of Christmas.  It is the time when Christians remember the visit of the three wise kings. In Italy, the Epiphany is also when the children wait for “La Befana” (a kind of good witch) to drop off sweets, chocolate to the well-behaved children, or a lump of coal for those who have been naughty.
 
There are no huge displays of outdoor decorations or lights on houses or reindeer in the yard in Abruzzo. There’s no Santa or elves or snowmen.  There is the birth of Jesus which is what it’s all about.  Italians get excited about going out to see the different nativity scenes.  People take great pride in crafting the perfect nativity either in their homes, churches or even in the piazza.  There are contests in many towns to see ‘who has the most beautiful nativity scene’
 
December 24th and 25th is a time to stay at home or visit family and eat! Christmas Eve is celebrated with a feast of seven fishes where some type of fish is served at each course and then everyone attends midnight mass.

On Christmas Day, family and friends gather for a large lunch that usually goes on all day, serving up traditional dishes like pasta in brodo (pasta in broth), timballo (a type of meatless lasagna) grilled meats and traditional desserts.  After lunch, it’s time to brindare (make a toast) with a glass of spumante, have a slice of panettone and play tombola (a game similar to bingo played with small amounts of money).  Then the eating starts all over again with dinner.
 
Presents are not important except for small gifts for the children.   Gifts for adults come from the heart and are made by hand such as homemade jams, sausages, cakes and cookies.
 
Christmas markets and the merry bagpipers are common to see in the local piazza, where you can enjoy roasted chestnuts and mulled wine and watch the various renditions of a live nativity or an outdoor type theatre that reenacts the story of Christ’s birth.  In Pratola (Domenico’s home town), there is a contest in the village square to see who can bake the best Cecio Ripieno (a sweet chickpea and chocolate dessert).

I love the Christmas season here, but I do miss the American way of celebrating too.  I try to add a little of what I'm used to such as decorating the house and hanging stockings with Michael Buble’s ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ playing in the background but I think Domenico thinks I've gone mad with all the stuff so I've narrowed it down to the essentials: a holiday tree, some garland and a few jingling bells.  We bake cookies, both American and Italian with friends and I usually try to do some sort of holiday craft (last year it was wreaths made from our vines right out of the vineyard). 

I miss my side of the family but I don’t miss the hectic running out to the store to find the perfect gift usually spending way too much time and money, especially when we start in October!

If you are looking for that simple, authentic Italian Christmas - consider booking with La Rocca Mia House B&B in Roccacasale, Italy and we will show you how the locals do Natale!

Book now for Christmas 2020!  Email us at:     [email protected]