ORIGINI DEL NATALE:
Christmas is not just a holiday to exchange gifts and enjoy baking and cooking typical recipes. It is a period full of traditions and culture, which can last even more than a month!
Along our peninsula, from North to South, Christmas traditions vary, even significantly.
And who brings you gifts, Saint Lucia or Santa Claus?
On Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, which falls on December 25 for the Western Christian church.
A way to represent this event is IL PRESEPE
Which can be purchased ready or prepared at home. Some people place only a few figures, such as Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus; others, create great settings, with shepherds, mountains, sheep, shops and, of course, the ox and the donkey. The Three Wise Men, on the other hand, are added on the day of the Epiphany,
The figure of the baby Jesus is positioned on the night of December 25th. You can buy several PRESEPI, which vary depending on the region, such as the Neapolitan, Bolognese, Marche or Genoese crib.
Another way to represent the Nativity is the theatrical representation, known by the name of "Living Nativity".
SAN NICOLA, SANTA LUCIA E BABBO NATALE
During the Christmas holidays, children look forward to Santa's arrival. BABBO NATALE’s legend derives from the legend of San Nicola. This saint, in fact, is known as "the protector of children". The story says that St. Nicholas brought three children killed by a host back to life.
In some countries of Northern Italy, children receive gifts on December 6, the day the saint is celebrated; in other cities of Northern Italy, such as Bergamo and Verona, the youngest traditionally wait anxiously for the morning of December 13th,
A week before the happy morning, the children write a letter to Saint Lucia, in which they declare that they have been good and ask for the gifts they would like to receive.
BABBO NATALE is certainly the greatest bearer of gifts in our country. Some children look forward to Christmas Eve, as gifts may magically appear under the tree at midnight. In other families, however, gifts arrive on the morning of December 25th.
DECORAZIONI NATALIZIE:
In addition to the PRESEPE there is another symbol that fully represents Christmas in our country: L’ALBERO DI NATALE, which is generally decorated on December 8, the day of the Immaculate Conception.
LE DECORAZIONI DI NATALE, mainly composed of balls and lights, are created at home or purchased ready.. A little curiosity: the balls are used because the legend tells about a poor juggler, who wondered in the streets of Bethlehem during the birth of Jesus. The poor man was sad, because he could not afford to bring a gift to the Child Jesus. Exploiting his talents, he made a show just for him, snatching a smile from the Child with his colored balls. Another classic symbol of Christmas is LA STELLA COMETA.
Some Italian families, especially in Northern Italy, prepare the Advent Calendar. These are 24 boxes (or pockets) that represent the days until Christmas, starting from December 1st. In each pocket there is a small gift for children, such as a sweet treat or a small object.
IL 24, 25 E 26 DICEMBRE
These days are also characterized by the many dishes that are prepared. Each region (and family) has their own cooking preferences and traditional dishes vary throughout Italy, but IL PANDORO and IL PANETTONE are the two desserts you’ll find everywhere.
On 24 December, LA VIGILIA DI NATALE, in most of the families in the South, a large dinner is prepared in the evening, exclusively with fish dishes.
Some families go to church for the traditional Christmas mass and then hang around, or meet in the square to exchange greetings.
On December 25, IL GIORNO DI NATALE, some children find the gifts under the tree, left by BABBO NATALE. A very important lunch is prepared, full of courses, mainly pasta (LASAGNE OR TORTELLINI), meat (ARROSTO), desserts and nuts.
December 26, SANTO STEFANO, is Boxing Day, which became a holiday on the calendar in 1949. During this day, the leftover food from the previous days is consumed, or soups are prepared.
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