With Christmas less than a week away, we at Tour Italy Now wanted to give you a brief overview, a snippet really, of some of the best known Christmas traditions in Italy. Christmas in Italy is pretty much a two-week celebration, starting on Christmas Eve through the Day of the Epiphany on January 6. For those lucky enough to spend Christmas in Italy, you will be surrounded by much of what we have in the U.S., decorations, lights, gifting feasting, but of course with many Italian twists. Of course there’s the Pope giving Mass at St. Peter’s on Christmas Eve!
Rome: We’ve already described the Christmas Market at Piazza Navona in a recent blog post HERE. Other Christmas happenings of note: Nativity scenes, known as presepi, are on display in many places, including Sala dl Bramante in Piazza del Popolo where scores of presepi from around Italy are on display. Christmas trees, not originally an Italian tradition, are becoming popular in Italy. In Rome, you’ll find huge Christmas trees in Saint Peter’s Square, in Piazza Venezia and, as you can see from the photograph above, next to the Colosseum! For those who celebrate Hanukkah, there is a menorah lighting nightly at Piazza Barbeini.
Naples: Have you heard of the Christmas Eve dinner of the seven fish dishes? This is Napoli’s great culinary Christmas tradition! It’s actually a tradition throughout Italy, but Napolitanos do it with special flair. For inspiration, here is a menu from Mario Batali. Naples also has many nativity cribs on display,
Torino: Talk about a feast for the eyes! The city is lit with art installations, called Luci d’Artista, and there are Christmas lights and ornaments!
Venice: Okay, doesn’t this photo say it all! 
Here’s to Christmas in Italy! If you’ve ever spent Christmas in Italy, please tell us about it!
Buon Natale!
Ciao,
Barbara Fellini
P.S. The school marm in me cannot help adding this list of Christmas Italian vocabulary!
One Comment
You can always tell an expert! Thanks for cotnriutibng.