Italy

Image Source: Flags of the World. CIA: The World Factbook. Retreived October 21, 2010, from http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it.html

= __ITALY __ =

Christmas Traditions
Christmas in Italy is essentially a religious time, starting with advent. Italians attend the “Christmas Novena,” nine nights of church services leading up to the birth of Jesus. Midnight mass is held on Christmas Eve and at 2:00 a.m. all the churches in Italy toll their bells. Services are also held Christmas morning. Gifts are usually exchanged on New Year’s Day, and the Christmas season culminates with the Feast of the Ephiphany on January 6, celebrating the arrival of the Three Kings.

Would you like to know more about traditional Christmas in Italy? Read [|this informative article], complete with recipes!

Festivities
Many homes, shops, squares, and churches create a //precepio// during Christmastime. A //precepio// is an elaborate landscape setting replicating the Nativity, some quite ornate. Christmas Masses will re-create the Nativity. Also, in some parts of Rome you can find the Piferari (or the fifers). They come down from the mountains playing bagpipes to announce to coming festivities of the Christmas season.

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Video Source: Zampognari Pifferari Abruzzo. (2008, January 7). Retrieved October 21, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj99mzrGGSA

Food
Christmas food in Italy varies from region to region. Typically Christmas Eve dinner is meatless in accordance to fasting traditions before the big feast occurring on Christmas Day. Some regions still celebrate the “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” or seven courses of fish, on Christmas Eve. The fish is a symbol of Jesus and this meal marks his arrival. Christmas Day dinner is usually served shortly after noon and often contains meat dishes. Sweets are popular after both meals.  media type="youtube" key="Ud1VCm2g8ts?fs=1" height="307" width="384" align="center"

Video Source: Italy Christmas Food. (2008, December 6). Retrieved October 21, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud1VCm2g8ts

References  Christmas in Italy. (2003) Retrieved October 21, 2010, from http://www.osiaglnw.org/Christmas%20in%20Italy.pdf

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