Festive Italian Holiday Customs and Festivities

Like many other mainly Catholic nations, Italian Christmas Traditions kick off the Yuletide celebrations in early December. The Feast of Immaculate Conception occurs on December 8th and is considered a national holiday in Italy. Similarly, St. Stephen’s Day on December 26th is also observed.

Ornaments

As part of Italian Christmas Traditions, it is customary to set up the Nativity Scene and adorn the Christmas Tree on this day. The festivities extend into January with the Feast of the Epiphany. Numerous Italians attend church on Christmas Eve. Catholic customs remain deeply embedded in Italy’s Christmas rituals, with Nativity Scenes holding significant importance—a tradition believed to be initiated by Saint Francis of Assisi.

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Yuletide Cuisine

Similar to many other religious communities, Italians abstain from meat during Christmas. They celebrate with a meal known as The Feast of Seven Fishes. This is among the most cherished of Italian Christmas Traditions, which has also been embraced in Italian-American celebrations across the USA. Commonly featured seafood includes cod, scallops, shrimp, calamari/octopus, oysters, eel, or clams, prepared as standalone dishes or in pasta or salads.

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For dessert, typical Italian Christmas treats include Cannoli, Struffoli, and Panettone, with each region boasting its own specialized Traditional Italian confection.

Presents

Another beloved Italian Christmas Tradition entails children receiving gifts from La Befana, the benevolent witch often referred to as The Christmas Witch. La Befana, depicted as an elderly woman dressed in black, was initially limited to Rome and its vicinity but has gained nationwide popularity over the past century. According to legend, La Befana was a widowed, childless woman who encountered the Three Kings on their journey to see the Christ child. She was preoccupied with cleaning and directed them elsewhere. Upon realizing her error, she embarked on a quest to find the Baby Jesus. To this day, she continues her search, visiting homes on Epiphany, January 6, and leaving gifts for well-behaved children.

In modern customs, children might also receive gifts from Santa Claus (known as ‘Babbo Natale’ in Italian) or from Baby Jesus, as upheld in older Italian Christmas traditions, placed under the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve.

Are you aware of any other distinct Italian Christmas Traditions?
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