Leap into the enchanting world of Italian Christmas Traditions this year, from festive markets to sumptuous feasts and heartwarming community customs.
Happy St. Nicholas Day! Buona Festeggia di San Niccolò!
Imagine wandering through cobblestone streets illuminated by twinkling lights, the air filled with the sweet scent of roasted castagne (chestnuts) and the joyful sounds of carolers. Welcome to Christmas in Italy, where centuries-old traditions blend with local customs to create a truly enchanting holiday experience. As today is St. Nicholas Day, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to delve into the heartwarming Italian Christmas traditions that make this season so special.
Plus, this makes me even more excited to return to Calabria in a week, to celebrate Christmas with my family—my very first Christmas in Italy!
The Advent Season: The Start of Italian Christmas Traditions
In Italy, the magic of Christmas begins well before December 25th. The Advent season, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, is a time of anticipation and community. In many towns and villages, you’ll find elaborate Advent calendars not just for children, but for people of all ages. Each window reveals a treat, a small toy, or a verse, building excitement day by day. This is something I still do, as an adult, in Canada (mine are always filled with chocolate)!
There is also the tradition of the Novena, nine days of prayers and church services leading up to Christmas, which is particularly cherished in Southern Italy. You might see groups of children dressed as shepherds, going from house to house, singing carols and receiving treats.
My personal favourite are the Christmas markets, or Mercatini di Natale, that spring up across the country. These markets offer handmade crafts, festive foods, and a warm, communal atmosphere. From the north to the south of the country, these markets are the perfect places to soak up the holiday spirit and mingle with other celebrants, and different regions will offer their own unique flair.
St. Nicholas Day: The Patron Saint of Children and Sailors
St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6th (today!), marks the beginning of the festive season in many parts of Italy. This day is especially significant in Bari, where St. Nicholas is the patron saint. A grand procession takes place here, with a statue of St. Nicholas being carried through the streets. The atmosphere is electric, with music, fireworks, and the scent of local delicacies filling the air.
Across the country, children eagerly await the morning to find small gifts and sweets left by St. Nicholas—after all, Saint Nicholas is Santa Claus! It's a day filled with excitement and a perfect prelude to the upcoming festivities. This day also involves special church services and community gatherings, reflecting the saint’s role as a protector and benefactor.
La Vigilia: The Feast of the Seven Fishes
On Christmas Eve, known as La Vigilia, Italians indulge in a sumptuous seafood feast, a tradition rooted in the Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat the day before a major religious holiday. The Feast of the Seven Fishes typically includes seven different seafood dishes, each with its own significance. In Naples and parts of the south, you might find baccalà (salted cod) prepared in various ways, from fried to stewed.
In Sicily, dishes such as grilled eel, spaghetti with clams, and calamari are common, showcasing the island's rich maritime heritage. This meal is more than just a dinner; it celebrates family and community. Italians gather around the table, sharing stories, laughter, and the joy of being together during the holidays. It’s one of the beautiful traditions carried over by Italian immigrants who have moved across the world, including my family, who came to Toronto.
Christmas Day: A Feast of Epic Proportions
Christmas Day in Italy is a culinary marathon, with families coming together to enjoy a lavish meal that often lasts for hours. (Yes, imagine the typical zeal of Italians cooking, and multiply that by a hundred.) A typical Christmas menu might start with antipasti like cured meats and cheeses, followed by pasta dishes such as lasagna or tortellini in broth. The main course usually features roasted meats, like lamb or beef, accompanied by a variety of side dishes. If you have a particularly nice family like mine, they’ll also make you a bunch of delicious vegetarian dishes, like fried zucchini, pasta with peas and cheese, and other delicious dishes.
Desserts are a highlight for everyone, with Panettone and Pandoro being the stars of the show. These sweet, fluffy cakes are often served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of mascarpone or whipped cream. Beyond the food, Christmas Day is filled with the warmth of family bonds, the exchange of gifts, and the creation of memories that last a lifetime.
Southern Italy: A Unique Christmas Experience in Calabria
While Italian Christmas traditions are cherished nationwide, Calabria offers a unique and vibrant holiday experience, deeply rooted in local customs and community spirit. In this region, the tradition of u Catuvu, a bonfire lit on Christmas Eve to welcome the Christ Child, is a sight to behold. The fire symbolizes the community's warmth, as people gather around, sing carols, and share treats. It’s a perfect blend of the sacred and the festive, with the flickering flames lighting up the night as families spend time together.
Another tradition in Calabria is the preparation of Mostaccioli Calabresi, honey-infused cookies that are a must-have during the festive season (the same ones you offer to San Francesco during August’s Festa in Vazzano). These cookies are not only popular as baked goods, but also symbolize the sweetness of life and the joy of giving. In fact, they’re often exchanged as gifts among friends and neighbours!
The region's unique zampognari tradition also adds a distinctive musical touch to the festivities. These shepherd musicians, dressed in traditional attire, play bagpipes and flutes, filling the air with beautiful melodies that echo through the hills and valleys. Their music reminds us of Calabria's rich cultural heritage and adds a magical, timeless quality to the Christmas celebrations.
New Year’s Eve: A Time for Luck and Celebration
As the Christmas season winds down, Italians gear up for the grand celebration of New Year’s Eve, known as La Festa di San Silvestro or La Notte di San Silvestro. This night is steeped in traditions to ensure good luck and prosperity for the coming year. In many regions, you'll find families and friends gathering for a festive dinner that often features lentils, symbolizing wealth and fortune, and zampone or cotechino, types of pork sausage that represent the richness of life.
Of course, there’s also a tradition of wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve, a colour believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. This custom is especially common among women, although men also participate. The red colour is associated with good fortune, love, and fertility, making it a perfect choice for ushering in the new year with positive energy. So, when celebrating New Year's Eve in Italy, don’t be surprised to find people sporting their lucky red undergarments as part of the festivities (though, chances are, you won’t be able to see that they’re doing so)!
At midnight, it’s customary to pop open a bottle of spumante (Italian sparkling wine) and toast the new year with a cheer of "Cin cin!" Fireworks light up the sky, and in some areas, people participate in the daring tradition of throwing old items out of the window, symbolizing a fresh start. It’s a night of joy, reflection, and anticipation, wrapped in the warmth of Italian hospitality.
Epiphany: La Befana and the Last Hurrah
The holiday season in Italy doesn't end on New Year's Day. The Epiphany (l'Epifania), celebrated on January 6th, marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men and is a significant event, especially for children.
La Befana, the good witch of Italian folklore, visits homes on the night of January 5th, leaving sweets and gifts for well-behaved children and coal for the naughty ones. This charming tradition brings an extra touch of magic to the season and has been celebrated for generations upon generations. In fact, when my cousin Vittoria came to Canada for a few months right before the pandemic, La Befana visited us at my nonna’s house, leaving us three a stocking filled with candies, an orange, and some Euro coins.
In Rome, a grand parade celebrates the Epiphany, with participants dressed as the Magi and their entourage, reenacting their journey to Bethlehem. Throughout all of Italy, families gather for one last festive meal, often featuring regional specialties like sweet rice fritters in Lombardy or ricotta-filled pastries in Sicily (and everything in between).
All in All
Italian Christmas traditions blend faith, family, and festivity, offering a unique and heartwarming holiday experience. Whether it’s the anticipation of Advent, the joy of St. Nicholas Day, the culinary delights of La Vigilia and Christmas Day, the ringing in of the New Year, or the charm of Epiphany, there’s something truly special about celebrating the holidays in Italy.
So why not pack your bags and experience these traditions firsthand? Italy calls you this holiday season, from Lombardy's bustling markets to Rome's enchanting nativity scenes and Calabria's warm bonfires. Make this Christmas unforgettable by immersing yourself in the magic of Italian Christmas traditions.
Buon Natale a tutti, e Felice Anno Nuovo!
We have a lot of similar traditions here in Belgium. Like Saint Nicholas is also celebrated here, but I think a huge part of Europe does that