Christmas in Italy facts for kids
Christmas in Italy (called Natale in Italian) is a special time! It starts on December 8th with a holiday called the Immaculate Conception. This is usually when people set up their Christmas trees. The celebrations end on January 6th of the next year with a holiday called the Epiphany (or Epifania in Italian).
The word "Natale" comes from the Latin word natalis. When Italians wish each other well during Christmas, they say buon Natale (which means Merry Christmas) or felice Natale (meaning Happy Christmas).
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Fun Christmas Traditions in Italy
Italians have many unique and old traditions that make their Christmas celebrations special.
The Nativity Scene
The idea of the nativity scene (or "presepe" in Italian) actually comes from Italy! Many people believe the very first nativity scene was a living one, created by St. Francis of Assisi in Greccio in 1223. However, some nativity scenes were already seen in Naples as early as 1025. Over time, different regions in Italy developed their own special ways of making nativity scenes, like the ones from Bologna, Genoa, and Naples.
The Yule Log
The tradition of the Yule log was very popular in Italy a long time ago, dating back to the 11th century. A book printed in Milan in the 1300s even describes it in detail. The Yule log had different names depending on the region. In Tuscany, it was called "ciocco," and in Lombardy, it was known as "zocco." In a place called Val di Chiana in Tuscany, children would be blindfolded and try to hit the log with tongs while their family sang a special prayer. This tradition was so important that Christmas in Tuscany was once called the "feast of the log."
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree tradition, which started in Germany, became very popular in Italy during the 1900s. It's said that the first Christmas tree in Italy was put up at the Quirinal Palace by Queen Margherita in the late 1800s.
For a while, during a period called Fascism, this custom was not liked because it was seen as a foreign tradition. People preferred the Italian nativity scene instead. In 1991, the Gubbio Christmas Tree, which is 650 meters tall and has over 700 lights, even made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest Christmas tree in the world!
Bagpipers
A truly Italian tradition is that of the bagpipers. These are men dressed as shepherds who play bagpipes. They come down from the mountains, playing beautiful Christmas music. This tradition started in the 1800s and is especially common in Southern Italy.
A famous composer named Héctor Berlioz even wrote about the bagpipers from Abruzzo in 1832.
Christmas Gift Bearers
In Italy, different figures bring gifts during the Christmas season. These include Santa Lucia (on December 13th), Baby Jesus, Babbo Natale (which is the Italian name for Santa Claus), and on Epiphany, the Befana.
Santa Lucia
In some parts of Northern Italy, like Verona, Lodi, Cremona, Pavia, Brescia, Bergamo, and Piacenza, Santa Lucia is the traditional gift-bearer. She visits on the night between December 12th and 13th.
According to Italian tradition, Santa Lucia arrives on her donkey. Children leave a cup of tea for the saint and a plate of flour for her donkey.
Befana
A unique character in Italian Christmas folklore is the Befana. She is shown as an old witch flying on a broom. She brings gifts on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany. Tradition says she brings sweets in a sock to good children and coal to those who have been naughty.
The name Befana comes from a changed version of the word "Epifania." She is similar to other gift-bringing figures found in different cultures, like the German Frau Berchta and the Russian Babuška.
There's a famous nursery rhyme about the Befana:
La Befana vien di Notte
con le scarpe tutte rotte
il cappello alla romana
viva viva la Befana
Delicious Christmas Food
According to tradition, the Christmas Eve dinner in Italy should not include meat. A popular dish, especially in the South, is eel or "capitone." In some areas, there's a tradition of serving "seven fish dishes," which Italians immigrants also brought to the United States.
Christmas Desserts
Panettone
Panettone is a classic Italian Christmas cake. It's a sweet bread with raisins and candied fruit, originally from Milan, but enjoyed all over Italy. This dessert likely dates back to the 12th century. The name "panettone" might come from "pan del Ton," which refers to a legend about its creation by a kitchen helper named Toni. Famous people like the writer Alessandro Manzoni and the composer Giuseppe Verdi loved this Christmas cake.
Pandoro
Another popular Italian Christmas cake found everywhere is Pandoro. This sweet bread comes from Verona and was created in 1884 by Domenico Melegatti.
The name "Pandoro" means "golden bread." This name reminds us of a cone-shaped cake from the time of the Serenissima Republic that was covered with real gold leaves!
Torrone
Torrone is a sweet nougat that comes from Northern Italy but is popular throughout the country. Legend says that torrone was first served in Cremona on October 25, 1441, at the wedding of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti.
Struffoli
From Southern Italy, especially Naples, come the struffoli. These small, round fried dough balls are covered in honey and sprinkles. They were known as early as the 17th century. Their name might come from the Greek word "strongoulos," meaning "round."
Religious Celebrations
From December 16th until Christmas Eve, a special prayer called the Christmas novena is recited in churches.
