I have always loved the Christmas season, so the fact that it lasts a bit longer here in Italy should be right up my alley, right?
In Italy, we celebrate more than just Christmas and New Year's...and I'm learning you've got to pace yourself to survive!
Don't Put Away That Tree Just Yet!
By New Year's, many in the U.S. have put away the Christmas tree and closed the chapter on the winter holidays. Not so in Italy! We have a number of holidays after Christmas that means I don't put the tree away until after January 6.
And another difference here: we Americans often put up our trees right after Thanksgiving. I try to wait until the start of December. Here in Italy, it's custom to put up decorations on December 8 for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Still, that's a good month of festive decor!
Let's Look at ALL the Holidays in Italy
While the Christmas vibe in America starts in...let's be honest...October for retailers, it's mid-December here before I feel that sparkle. Then it's full-force for a month or more.
We start with Christmas Eve. For Fra and I, it's the first day to head to the bar in Davoli to greet all the friends who have come from points north to visit family for the holidays.
Thus begins the festivities. Every time someone enters the bar, after hugs and kisses have been distributed, they order a bottle of prosecco to share. We toast salute and drink.
But wait! Another friend or cousin who is down from Milan arrives. Another bottle is ordered. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Repeat. Sigh.
Then we've got the first of the dinners. Christmas Eve, called la Vigilia, is a time for family to gather for an enormous meal, traditionally with diverse fish dishes.
In our family, Fra's aunt puts together a feast, and we (12 of us this year) eat, drink, and laugh for a few hours. I learned my lesson from last year. Though all the dishes look amazing, I have to pace myself because I know there is more food to come!
This year, we ate stuffed squid, pinwheel sandwiches with smoked salmon, fried sardines, mussels, pasta, sweets, and so much more.
By this point, I'm feeling both stuffed and sleepy (after all that prosecco and then wine at dinner!). But the party continues.
If there's a kiddo in the house, he places the baby Jesus in the manger of the nativity scene (called presepe) and everyone sings a song.
Then the devout attend midnight mass. In Davoli, the priest is young and innovative, so he's always got some type of spectacle to keep the people awake and engaged. This year, there was a shooting star that was supposed to glide down from the heavens, though a technical snafu caused it to fall!
After this, the hearty (Francesco, not me) stay out late drinking in the piazza. I went straight to bed! He came home at 4 a.m.! And apparently, a group of very drunk musicians were still out at 7 a.m. and decided to play outside our house to wake us all up. None but Papa heard them, and he invited them in for a morning grappa!
That Takes Care of One Day...
All that was just Christmas Eve! Christmas is a little more chill, at least in our family. We exchange presents and have lasagna and meat for lunch. Then, you guessed it, back to the bar for more chats and prosecco, though Fra and I managed to only drink a glass or two.
I was surprised when Mamma mentioned us coming back for lunch the day after Christmas. Hadn't we already covered all of the holidays 'til New Year's? But no, the 26th is San Stefano. No idea why he was so important. I think it's just an excuse to extend the party.
So...we returned for lunch the following day. It was a "normal" family meal with just us five and a modest lunch (for Italians).
On to New Year's
With a few days to detox in between, we now move onto the end of December. Last year, we spent New Year's Eve with friends, but this year, we'll be with the family in Davoli.
That means, of course, another big meal. This time, Mamma's cooking. I don't know what's on the menu, but I know it's going to be delicious. We'll hang with the family to ring in the new year, maybe with a few fireworks. I'm bringing paper lanterns so we can write down our wishes for the new year and send them to the heavens.
Surely, then, there will be another meal on New Year's Day. How are these people not 500 pounds?!
And then the last holiday is January 6, the Epiphany. It's also the day La Befana arrives. I'll write a separate post about this magical witch who delivers gifts to children!
Like I Said, It's a Marathon
I adore Christmas, but I have to pace myself, both in terms of the food and drink and in activities when the holiday season in Italy arrives. I had a whole calendar of Christmas events in Soverato I wanted to attend, but I've been too exhausted to do anything after the Davoli festivities!
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