Guest Author - Julie Fredrick
Have you considered traveling to Italy this winter? If so, here is a helpful article describing some of Italy’s holiday traditions.
The season’s celebrations typically kick-off on December 8, the Feast Day of Immaculate Conception. This is a Roman Catholic Holy Day of Obligation, and a national holiday. On this day, the faithful attend Mass to commemorate when Mary was graced by God to lead a life free of sin.
Traditionally, Christmas in Italy is celebrated December 24-January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas). This also marks Christmas Eve through Epiphany. Saint Steven’s Day, also a national holiday, is December 26.
Nativity scenes are the typical trademark of the Christmas season in Italy, although lights and trees are becoming more common. St. Peter’s square erects a huge Christmas tree along with a life-sized nativity scene, which is usually unveiled on Christmas Eve. The Pope delivers a midnight mass on Christmas Eve from inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, which is televised in the square on a giant TV screen. On Christmas Day, he delivers his message from the window of his apartment above the square.
A meatless meal is traditionally consumed on Christmas Eve, followed by a nativity scene, bonfires and Midnight Mass. Christmas Day a large meat-based meal is shared with family. It is becoming more common to open gifts on Christmas, although the main day for gift giving is Epiphany, the day that the 3 wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus. The story goes that on the night of January 5th, gifts are brought by La Befana, a witch that arrives on a broom and fills the good children’s stockings with toys and sweets and fills the bad children’s stockings with lumps of coal.
One of Italy’s largest Le Befana celebrations is in Urbania in the Le Marche region. From January 2-6, children have to opportunity to meet Le Befana.
Epiphany Celebrations
Vatican City holds a procession of people dressed in medieval attire carrying symbolic gifts for the Pope. The Pope then says morning mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Regatta delle Bafane occurs in Venice on January 6. On this day, men dressed as La Befana in Shaggy outfits race single-oared boats on the Grand Canal.
Milan and Rivisondoli each hold Epiphany parades and costumed reenactments of the arrival of the 3 kings.
The holiday festivities in Italy are not limited to religious ceremonies. Although not as well known as Germany’s Christmas markets, many Italian cities and villages hold Christmas markets, of Mercatino di Natales, of their own.
Due to its close proximity to Germany, Northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige Region is one of Italy’s best areas for markets.
Verona, Naples, Genoa and Torino hole large Christmas markets that are worth visiting, as well.
Rome is where the celebration of Christmas originated. In 1300, the first permanent nativity scene was displayed, and the first Christmas mass was said at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
A large Jewish population resides in Rome, and Hanukkah is celebrated in December. A large Menorah is erected in Piazza Barberini and during the Hanukkah season, one candle is lit each night.
La Festa Di San Silvestro, or New Years Eve, is also a time of celebration in Italy. December 31 marks the end of the calendar year, and following a large meal, fireworks and dancing often last until dawn. One tradition in Italy is to throw old belongings out the window to make room for the New Year. Another custom is to wear red underwear to ring in the new year-it is supposed to bring good luck!
