ITALIAN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS,,,, Christmas is an international holiday, celebrated by Christians in its more spiritual incarnation, and by people all over the world who share the more humanist joys of the holiday, like spending time with the family, thinking of the less fortunate and celebrating the passing of another year. With its multi cultural appeal, Christmas has taken up many different traditions all over the globe, each depending on the geographical location and previous traditions. In Italy there are many unique traditions liked to Christmas, with a religious meaning and with pagan heritage. Swide reveals some of the most interesting so that you can have an Italian Buon Natale. The Nativity Scene is an essential element of the Catholic Traditional Christmas. With a fully religious meaning it trumps the Christmas tree. Though present in most Catholic countries Italy, with Naples leading the way, have made a true art of it. The statuettes, hand carved out of wood or glazed ceramics, or solid silver are the physical representation of the birth of Christ. The Nativity Scene can be as basic as just portraying the three members of the Holy Family, or can take form into an intricate collection of figures from Biblical history and also from tradition. Many scenes are set in villages, with figurines representing the stereotypical figures of village life, the shepherd, the baker, the fish monger, the blacksmith and so on. In a typically ironic vein, many figurines have since been crafted portraying varying personalities from Italian culture, from footballers to politicians. The nativity scene is also central in the Christmas decoration of Churches, and sometimes whole villages take part in living Nativity Scenes. The traditional Yule Log, or ceppo takes on two (if not 3) distinct forms in Italian Christmas tradition. The first, and most common internationally is the actual Yule Log, a tradition which is linked to the pagan God Thor. A great log would be dragged into the house and burned on the hearth by the head of the family while everyone would sing festive songs and toast with wine. This log was supposed to signify a sacrifice, and to bring good fortune. The log would then remain in the hearth for the following 12 days of Christmas. In Genoa the long standing tradition of the Ceppo is maintained, when the Doge would be presented with the log and then proceed to wet it with wine. On a familial basis, the tradition of the ceppo as describe is still alive and well. In Abruzzo the tradition of the burned ceppo is also still alive yet revisited. As well as burning 13 small pieces of wood, to remember the 12 apostles and Christ, there’s the Christmas Tomb, where a large bon fire is light in the central square in Christmas Eve. The Yule Log has also been transformed in minimalist Christmas tree. A tall wooden frame shaped like a pyramid divided by shelves laden with gifts like fruit and candy, and candles, hence it is sometimes known as the Tree of Light. At the bottom of the pyramid, a nativity scene would be placed. The third and most delicious incarnation of this tradition is the Tronchetto di Natale, a sponge, chocolate and cream dessert shaped like a log which is usually enjoyed on Christmas eve. It’s an Italian take on a Christmas lucky dip. Small presents are wrapped and placed into a large ornamental bowl and in turn each member of the family picks one until they have all been distributed. The notes of bagpipes or flutes float on the chilly winter air at Christmas time in Italy. In most Italian cities bagpipers and flute players, in traditional colourful costumes of sheepskin vests, knee-high breeches, white stockings and long dark cloaks, play Christmas music in town as you do your shopping. Traditionally they were shepherds coming down from the mountain to entertain crowds in the towns with their folkloristic music. Though the Tombola has made it to international notoriety, this form of bingo is a hugely traditional family past time in Italy at Christmas. Many families do it on Christmas day, after the huge feast has been digested. Others do it on Christmas Eve, a way to draw the evening out before heading to Midnight Mass. The essentials? Number cards, beans to cover the numbers that have been called out, an enthusiastic speaker (who knows all the saying that’s go with each number) and plenty of competitive spirit! The Novena is a religious ritual linked to the rosary. While there are many times of the year where this devotional activity takes place, one of the most observed is the Christmas one. In the 9 days leading up to Christmas day, the rosary is said as a preparation to welcoming Christ. This religious tradition was transformed with children going from house to house just as the time of prayer was over to sing traditional Christmas songs. The children would in turn receive small gifts of sweets or cakes. The origin of Saint Nicholas (San Nicola or San Nicolò in Italian) is Turkish. Once the Bishop of Myra in Anatolia, he became the protector of children after a legend according to which he resurrected three children who had been killed by a butcher, who wanted to sell them as meat. Up until the sixth century his cult was widespread in the East and was brought to Italy by the Byzantines, especially south of Rome: in regions such as Puglia the saint was practically adopted, and in fact he was renamed Saint Nicholas of Bari. While in Puglia Saint Nicholas is celebrated on 9 May – the day on which his remains arrived in the city in 1087 – in the North his feast day is 6 December, the date he is thought to have died in Myra in 343. On 5 December, children in northern regions of Italy such as Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia write a letter to Saint Nicholas, who is depicted as a bishop and not as Santa Claus. They leave food out for him to provide refreshments during the night and day after they receive their presents. At one time there were no classes at schools on 6 December, instead the children brought the gifts they had received singing the macabre song San Nicolò de Bari xè la festa dei scolari se i scolari no fa festa ghe taieremo la testa. [San Nicolò of Bari is the pupils’ celebration if the pupils’ don’t celebrate we’ll cut off his head.] A religious festival linked to the cult of the Madonna. Contrary to what the name may seem to imply, the Immaculate Conception does not refer to the conception of Jesus, but rather the Catholic dogma that considers the Virgin Mary immune against original sin from the day of her conception. Celebrated with processions, notably in Palermo, that carry around “a Marunnuzza” (the Madonna in Sicilian dialect) in triumph for two days, the Immaculate Conception is a holiday very close to the hearts of Catholic Italians and is traditionally the day on which Christmas trees are decorated in people’s homes. The patron saint of sight and almost always depicted with her gouged-out eyes on a plate, Saint Lucia was celebrated on the day of the winter solstice, 21 December, until 1580, when the modern calendar was introduced. Even now Lucia’s saint’s day is still defined as “the shortest day”. The religious cult of the saint is celebrated throughout all of Italy, but in many regions in the North, such as Trentino, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Emilia and Veneto, children write a letter saying that they have been good and on the night between 12 and 13 December Saint Lucia visits homes on her donkey laden with gifts. Children eagerly await the next morning, after having gone to sleep early in the fear that the Saint will blind them if she finds them awake, and they leave out a plate of food for both her and her donkey with hay, milk and carrots. The night before Christmas is celebrated in almost all of Italy with a typical dinner of fish. Known in Italian as “la Vigilia di Natale”, the term “vigilia” is derived from the Latin word meaning watch or vigil, and the religious vigil is characterised by fasting. This is the origin of the traditional “cena di magro” (“light dinner”) at which meat is banned. In almost all of Italy, tradition dictates that the Christmas Eve dinner is fish. After dinner, families play classic games such as bingo and at the stroke of midnight, especially in the South of Italy and Campania, the statue of the Baby Jesus is added to the manger. Presents are often opened after midnight and not the next morning. It is possible to attend the “Vigilia di Natale” and the traditional Midnight Mass at churches throughout Italy. Eating meat is permitted on Christmas Day, so lunch menus are crammed with regional specialities such as stuffed pasta (tortellini, cappelletti, agnolotti) and luxurious second courses such as stuffed or boiled capon, guinea fowl or venison, lamb or salsiccia sausage meat. At the end of the meal there is never a shortage of classic Christmas dessert, which also vary in each region of Italy. Families also stay together after lunch and have fun playing traditional Christmas games. The day marking Saint Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity, falls on the day after the Christmas festivities and is a way to prolong the solemnity of the celebrations of the birth of the Baby Jesus. Epiphany is a Christian feast day that takes place 12 days after Christmas, the name of which derives from the Greek epifàino - “I make myself manifest”. The tradition links 6 January to day on which the Three Kings, guided by a star, reach the Baby Jesus to worship him and bring him gifts, thereby celebrating the manifestation of the divinity of Jesus for the first time. On 6 January the Three Kings are added to the manger and children receive the gifts brought to them by the Befana, an old lady, during the night. Originally a Pagan custom, in Roman times the Befana was actually linked to Mother Nature and her personifications, which flew over the crops so that they would grow well: the ancient tradition was connected to the old year, which ended at that time. According to a “Christianised version”, the Three Kinds were travelling to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Baby Jesus but couldn’t find the way so asked an old lady for directions. Though they insisted she follow them to visit the small child, the woman wouldn’t leave her house to accompany them. Later she regretted not going with them, so, having baked a tray of sweets, she went to look for them, with no success. She stopped at every house she passed along the way, giving the sweets to the children she met in the hope that one of them was little Jesus. Since that time she has wandered around the world giving gifts to children in order to seek forgiveness. Today good children find sweets in their stockings and naughty children find coal.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:03:51 +0000
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