CHRISTMAS IN ITALY Buon Natale - The Rich History And Tradition Of Christmas In Italy The very roots of our

modern Christmas were born in Italy. Christmas, the Feast of the Nativity, was decreed by Emperor Aurelian in A.D. 274 to take place on December 25th of each year. Although many biblical historians believe that the actually birth of Jesus took place some time in the Spring, early Roman Christian's felt it important to create a feast day that coincided with the many pagan celebrations had always taken place during the winter solstice. The celebration of the birth of the sun soon became the celebration of the birth of the Son. The Christmas season The Christmas season is three-weeks long in Italy. It starts at Novena that falls eight days before Christmas. During the holiday season, the shepherds play musical instruments and sing Christmas songs in the villages. Children collect in groups dress up as shepherds, play pipes and recite Christmas poems and sing Christmas songs door to door. In return, the children receive money to buy presents. In cities like Rome real shepherds sometimes carry out the performance. La Befana Children in Italy hang up their stockings on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6. They celebrate the visit of the Three Kings to Bethlehem. Instead of Santa Claus, children are expecting La Befana. She is a witch-like character who rides around on a broom. The legend is that the Three Wise Men, stopped at Befana's hut to ask directions on their way to Bethlehem and asked her to join them. She said no, she was too busy. Later a shepherd asked her to join him in paying respect to the Baby Jesus. Again, Befana said no. Later when it was dark and she saw a great light in the skies, she thought perhaps she should have gone with the Wise Men. So, she gathered some toys that had belonged to her own baby, who had died, and ran to find the kings and the shepherd. But Befana could not find them or the stable. Now, each year she looks for the Christ Child. And each year since she can not find him, she leaves the gifts for the good children of Italy and pieces of charcoal for the bad ones.. A letter to Befana

Letterina : Cara befana...mlt diranno ke a 14 anni scriverti ancora ridicolo...ma io credo in te...a quella magia che ogni anno porti..arrivi prp nel giorno del mio compleanno...e per qst mi sei super simpaticissimaa.. qst anno nn so davvero cosa chiederti...2 sono le cose ke desidero di pi..la prima rigurarda la mia famiglia,vorrei che qst anno sia speciale x noi..e il tuo arrivo porti a tutti noi quel pizziko di fortuna ke non sempre arriva e di cui abbiamo davvero bisogno....e la seconda riguarda me..aiutami anke te con quel pizziko di magia a rendere la storia d'amore (ke anke se da poco mi rende felicissima)...semplicemente speciale e per sempre!!!sono troppissimo innamorataa insomma..qst anno..chiedo solo felicit e fortuna...sprando che tutto arrivi...!!!!Ti saluto aspetto una tua risposta...e ovviamente ti aspetto la notte del 5 eh..mi rakkomando senza carbone ke sn sempre una bimba buona hihi !!!baci da una piccola befanina napoletana ;)
Christmas Eve There is a strict 24-hour fast observed before Christmas Eve, which is followed by a special celebration meal that features chocolate and a light Milanese cake called Panettone. Lucky Dip game is played after this meal, in which people draw from the Urn of Fate and may receive presents or empty boxes. Usually, there is at

least one gift for each person. By twilight, candles are lighted around 'Presepio', the family manger or crib, and prayers are said. Then, there is poem recitation by children. On Christmas Eve the traditional dinner is called Cenone. Is said to be made up of spaghetti and anchovies, an assortment of fish, fresh broccoli, tossed salad, fruits, and sweets some also say it shoulbe a dish of eel. A Yule log, the Ceppo, is burned, and toasts in wine and wishes for the future are expressed. Because the regions of Italy are so diverse, it is difficult to identify one traditional Italian Christmas feast, but certain foods remain common. Fish remains a common ingredient, as older church doctrine limited the eating of meat on certain holy days. Most Christmas sweets contain nuts and honey, said to honour the fertility of the earth and make for a sweet new year. Panettone is a sponge cake studded with candied fruit and is much lighter than the dense fruitcake concoctions that common in other countries! Nougat candies (torrone) and a rich gingerbread (panforte) are also very popular. Christmas Day On Christmas day, crowds gather in the huge Vatican Square by noon, where the Pope blesses them. Christmas lunch is Tortellini in Brodo which is filled pasta parcels in broth, also served is cappone which is boiled capon, or roasts are served in central Italy. Another famous cake is pandoro which originated from Verona. The Nativity scene The popularity of the Nativity scene, one of the most beloved and enduring symbols of the holiday season, originated in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi asked a man named Giovanni Vellita of the village of Greccio to create a manger scene. St. Francis performed mass in front of this early Nativity scene, which inspired awe and devotion in all who saw it. The creation of the figures or pastori became an entire genre of folk art. The presepio (manger or crib) represents in miniature the Holy Family in the stable and is the centre of Christmas for families. Guests kneel before it and musicians sing before it. The presepio figures are usually hand-carved and very detailed in features and dress. The scene is often set out in the shape of a triangle. This is a wooden frame arranged to make a pyramid several feet high. Several tiers of thin shelves are supported by this frame. It is entirely decorated with coloured paper, gilt pine cones, and miniature coloured pennants. Small candles are fastened to the tapering sides. A star or small doll is hung at the apex of the triangular sides. The shelves above the manger scene have small gifts of fruit, candy, and presents. The ceppo is in the old Tree of Light tradition which became the Christmas tree in other countries. Some houses even have a ceppo for each child in the family. From the Castle of Saint Angelo in Rome a cannon is fired to proclaim the opening of the Holy Season. Each tries to outdo the other by displaying the biggest presepio.