This festive period is a busy time for everyone but especially for those working in catering, retail and logistics. The cribs usually handed down from generation to generation, they can be as detailed or as small as you want and are.

Another tradition is the burning of the Yule log, which must stay alight until New Year's Day.In the Vatican City, the people go to the square at noon on Christmas day to receive the Pope's blessing, he appears at his balcony.Zampognari and Pifferai: Bagpipers and flute players dressed with traditional costumes entertain the people at religious shrines.If you get a present with your name on it, you keep it otherwise, you try again with other. Urn of Fate: there are a wrapped present for each family member.At the top is placed a star or a small doll. it is also beautifully decorated with gilt pinecones, colored paper, little candles and pennants. The cepo has like bottom a manger scene and on the shelves above are placed small gifts of fruit, candy and presents. The ceppo known as The Tree of Light is a wooden frame with a pyramid shape it has several feet high and supports many shelves in its several tiers.The churches have a presepe outdoors and traditional bonfires are assembled in the main square of town The main focus of decorations is the presepe, Nativity scene or creche.The children also write to their parent to let know how much they love them, this letter is placed under their father's plate who read it at the end of the Christmas Eve dinner.Īmong the traditions, customs and other rituals typical of Christmas season are:

Santa Lucia is who brings the gifts in Venice and Mantova while in other places is the Baby Jesus or Gesu' Bambino who brings the presents. The 'Novena” starts on 17th December and during this time the children go home by home reciting Christmas passages.Īctually, Italian children write letters to Santa Claus or Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) asking for presents, but traditionally in Italy the main day for gift giving is Epiphany, these presents are brought by La Befana, a kindly old witch who fill children's stockings in the night with sweets or i dolciumi if they have been good or with coal or il carbone if they have been bad. Officially, the Italian Christmas celebrations start on 8th December with the L'Immacolata Concezione or the Immaculate Conception’s Day and lasts until January 6th. The meaning of 'Natale' is 'Birthday' in Italian. The 'Saturnalia', the greatest feast of the ancient Roman Empire coincide with the Christmas celebrations of the Advent, is for this reason that not only celebrates the birth of Christ but also the birth of the 'Unconquered Sun'.

Lo saturnalia meaning