What is Carnevale in Italy?
Carnevale is the last celebration before lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent has historically been the time before Easter when many Catholics deprive themselves of something they enjoy. The thought is to party until you drop…
On national holidays in Italy, information offices, museums, monuments, etc. are either closed or open for limited hours. Public transportation such as buses and trains may be operating on a reduced holiday schedule.
May 1 (Italian Labor Day) and Christmas…
Christmas in Italy is filled with music, celebrations, food and an appreciation of the religious significance of the holiday. The Italian Christmas is not as commercial as Christmas in the US. Americans are often disappointed with the understated and…
Babbo Natale, or Father Christmas is gaining popularity in Italy. Babbo Natale, Italy’s version of Santa Claus, is becoming more popular and gift giving on Christmas day is becoming more common. La Befana, the old woman who delivers gifts on…
Nativity scenes are very popular in Italy and are generally found in every household. The nativity originated in Italy in the 1200′s when St. Francis of Assisi asked Giovanni Vellita from the village of Greccio to create a manger scene. St. Francis…
Decorate your home like they do in Italy. You need two things to make your home Christmassy in an Italian sort of way.
First you need a presepe (nativity scene). If you visit Italy at Christmas you will see presepe everywhere – family homes, churches,…
Lidia Bastianich chef, cookbook author and restaurateur can now add children’s book author to the list. Chef Lidia has written an endearing story of how the Christmases of her childhood were celebrated. It is an acknowledgement of a simpler time when…
Panettone is traditional Italian sweet bread that is normally prepared and enjoyed during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Panettone is readily recognized by its geometric shape and brightly colored wrapping.
Panettone has been around forever,…
Buon Natale is Italian for Merry Christmas. I recently bought this great little book called “Buon Natale, Learning Songs and Traditions in Italian” by Sophia Rossi.
What makes this little book (32 pages) so great is that it is in both English and Italian.…
The first hymns in honor of Christmas and the nativity are believed to have been written in the fifth century. These Latin hymns were solemn, and dealt only with the religious aspects of Christmas.
In the 13th century, Saint Francis of Assisi introduced…
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