Christmas Day Traditions in Italy

This is the first full week of Christmas celebrations in Italy … presepi are being blessed at local churches, lights are strung across streets, children are singing Christmas carols and preparing for school programs.

photo credit: John-Morgan

It is enough to make me want to sing Jingle Bells and start roasting a turkey.

Oh. But wait. They don’t do that here.

They do have Christmas Day traditions, though and today we are wrapping up our Four-Part Series on Christmas in Italy.

In case you have missed the Christmas in Italy series, you can catch up here.

Part I – Overview of Christmas in Italy

Part II – Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner Menu

Part III – Kicking off the Season with the Immacolata

And now … (drum roll please)

Celebrating Christmas in Italy, Part IV: Christmas Day Traditions

The Morning:

photo credit: Luca Venturi Oslo

After Babbo Natale has left his gifts for all of the good little ragazzi, the family finishes off the pandoro or panettone from their Christmas Eve feast. The kids play with their new toys, and extended families – like in America – often come together to celebrate Christmas Day.

For Italians with large families it seems Grandma’s place is *still* the place to go for Christmas pranzo.

The Food:

photo credit: StormySleep

Just like the Vigilia dinner, Italians enjoy course after course of homemade antipasto, pasta, second plates and desserts. This time … without the fish.

A typical Christmas Day dinner might be:

Antipasto: Assorted cheeses, olives, fried zucchini blossoms, prosciutto and salami

First Plates: Lasagna or baked pasta (often stuffed with meat sauce, eggs, cheese and sausage)

Second Plates: Roasted chicken or goat, served with salad, potatoes and/or green peas

Seasonal Fruit

Desserts: Panettone or pandoro, served with spumante, crostata with ricotta cheese and torroncini candy

The Fun:

photo credit: Alex Scarcella

Instead of rushing off to Maw Maw’s sofa post-stuffing for a nap like I do back home, Italians pull out the Tombola.

Tombola is Italian bingo and in many families is a cherished Christmas time tradition. Modern Tombola cards are plastic but traditionally players used beans or orange peels (they ate as they went).

What are your favorite Christmas traditions from home? Which traditions do you hope to pass to your children?

* Please note that all of the customs and traditions I am referring to may be typical of southern Italy, specifically Calabria. I’m no expert on the other regions, but I hope those of you who are will chip in with your two centesimi!