Il Natale in Italia. 
(To hear a traditional Italian Christmas carol, clicca QUI)
(To hear a Sardinian Christmas song, clicca QUI)
(For a Christmas quiz, clicca QUI)

 To say 'Merry Christmas' in Italian, you say 'Buon Natale'.  It actually means 'Good Christmas.' Very often, you will hear Italians saying 'Buone Feste.' This means 'Enjoy the festivities.'
Father Christmas is Babbo Natale.

 When a child is born around Christmas-time, it is common to name that child Natale (meaning Christmas) or a name linked to Christmas (Natalia, Natalina).

  The word Natale is about 'being born.'  The English words 'nativity' and 'natal' come from Natale.  The Nativity refers to the birth of the baby Jesus.

The largest Christmas tree in the world can be seen every year in the Italian town of Gubbio.  It is the illuminated shape of a Christmas tree, arranged on a mountain slope.  It is 650 metres long and 350 metres wide.  Eight and a half kilometres of electric cable are used to light up the shape.  It can be seen from very far away.  A team of workers called 'Gli Alberalioli' set up the famous tree every Christmas.  It is lit up on 7 December. This Christmas tree has become the symbol of the town of Gubbio.  (Photo below.)

(Visit the official Gubbio Christmas tree website: alberodigubbio.com)

(To read a famous story about a wolf in the town of Gubbio, click HERE.)

Saint Francis of Assisi was the person who invented the tradition of the Christmas crib (il presepe) on the night of Christmas Eve in 1223 in a forest by the town of Greccio, Italy.  
Francis, (Francesco), with a large group of friends and the people of Greccio, prepared a stable with straw and brought a donkey and an ox to the scene.  Everyone imagined and pretended that they were in Bethlehem.

 
In the Basilica di San Francesco (the main cathedral of Assisi, the home-town of Francis) there is a permanent Christmas crib on display, all year round.  It is in recognition of the tradition that he started. 

  Throughout December until the 6 January, every Italian church displays a beautiful Christmas crib.  They are always very impressive.

In many areas of Italy, the towns re-create 'Living Nativity Scenes' in the style of Saint Francis.  These are called 'presepi viventi.'  The people dress up as if they were living in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.  There are processions and enacted scenes.

There is a saying in Italy - Un Natale senza presepe non è un Natale.  (Christmas without a crib is not Christmas.)

Some more words about Christmas are- La stella (the star), I Re Magi (The Three Kings), Betlemme (Bethlehem), Maria e Giuseppe (Mary and Joseph), L'asino (the donkey), Gesù Bambino (Baby Jesus), I pastori (the shepherds), albero di Natale (Christmas tree), regalo di Natale (Christmas present) and calza di Natale (Christmas stocking.)

 On the 16 December begins a special period of nine days called La Novena.  On each day, special prayers are said and Christmas carols are sung in church, in celebration of the birth of the Baby Jesus.  The nine-day period ends on Christmas Day.

On Christmas Eve (la Vigilia di Natale), Italians eat a big, special night-time meal.  It is called 'Il Cenone di Natale' and it is a big family get-together.  Usually, this takes place just after midnight in order to welcome the beginning of Christmas Day and the birth of the baby Jesus (Gesù Bambino.)  The first Christmas presents are given at this meal-time.

Most families attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.  (Midnight mass is called La Messa del Gallo.) 
Then they eat their special meal altogether.

Some of the most popular foods to eat in Italy at Christmas are - ravioli, prawns, lobster, lamb, suckling pig and turkey.  Oranges and tangerines are the most popular fruit.  Oranges grow in Italy and their harvest is at the end of the year - just in time for Christmas.  Artichokes and fennel are popular vegetables as they are in season at this time of year. Nuts and chocolate are also popular at Christmas-time. Lots of Italian sparkling wine is drunk - this is called spumante.  

 
A special bread-cake called panettone (above) is eaten and given as a gift when visiting friends and relatives throughout the Christmas period.  A finer and softer version of panettone is called Pandoro - this means 'golden bread.'

On Christmas Day, many families attend church once again.  After mass, they enjoy another big meal for the family at around 2p.m.  Usually, there are lots of tasty left-overs from the night before.

  The final day of Christmas is 6 January.  This is called L' Epifania. Italian children love this day because the Christmas witch (called La Befana) arrives during the night flying on her broomstick.  Children hang up their stockings before they go to bed on the night of 5 January.  La Befana enters the houses whilst everyone is asleep and fills the stockings with gifts.
But beware!  Children are warned that La Befana fills naughty children's stockings with coal!  (Nowadays, very often there will be some black sweets in the stocking - to look like coal !)

It is said that the tradition of La Befana exists because when the Three Kings set out on their journey to find the Baby Jesus there was only one old woman who wanted to accompany them.  Nobody else wanted to go.  Unfortunately, the old woman changed her mind at the last moment and stayed at home.  She soon regretted her decision because The Three Kings found the Baby Jesus and gave Him their gifts. 
In order to apologise for her decision to stay at home, she brings gifts every year on the 6 January (the same date that the Kings visited the Baby Jesus) to children everywhere.        

  In Italian, New Year is called Capodanno.  The last day of the year is also known as San Silvestro (Saint Sylvester's day.)  You do not require a clock to know when it is midnight because there is always an enormous racket made by beeping car-horns and spumante corks popping.  
     

To say Happy New Year you can either say Felice Anno Nuovo (Happy New Year) or Buon Anno (Good Year).

There is a famous Italian rhyme about Christmas and New Year: -  
Natale con i tuoi, 
Capodanno con chi vuoi.
(Christmas with your family, 
New Year with whoever you like.) 

Another version of the rhyme is -
Natale con i tuoi, 
Pasqua con chi vuoi.
(Christmas with your family, 
Easter with whoever you like.) 

 On the first day of the new year, Italians believe that to wear the colour red and to eat lentils will bring good luck.  Some people carry a handful of raw lentils in a tissue in their handbag or pocket.

  In Italy, you only give Christmas cards by sending them to people who live away from home and who you don't see very often.

The red house-plant known as poinsettia is very popular in Italian buildings and houses at Christmas.  Italians call it La Stella di Natale, meaning the 'Christmas Star.'

 In January, in seaside areas, especially in the south of Italy, it is the tradition to collect sea-urchins to eat.  This creature is called a 'riccio di mare' - meaning 'a sea hedgehog.'
 

 Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!