CHRISTMAS IN ITALY

Even if the we can already breathe Christmas air in November, Christmas time officially starts with “Immacolata Day” on the 8 th of December.

On this day’s Eve families meet together to eat the “sfincione”(….), the first”panettone” of the holidays(…) and to play cards or tombola(…).

This is also the day we make the Christmas tree and the crib. It’ s a real pleasure walking by the night streets and see the lights in

the shops, the trees, the balconies, or crossing the airy ways of the town. We can hear Christmas songs or see the Christmas flowers anywhere we go.

It dates back to the seventeeth century. The Immacolata Conception is the principal

“patron” of thetown . In almost all the churches the image of

Our Lady is venerated and there are three statues thatare conducted in parade. During the routes

tradition folk aresung.

The cult of “Immacolata “in Termini Imerese

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh

I'm dreaming of a White

Christmas,With every Christmas

card I write.May your days be merry

and brightAnd may all your Christmas be whiteHeal the world

Make it a better place For you and for me And the entire human race There are people dying If you care enough For the living Make a better place For you and for me

Christmas Eve

Anyway the most famous holiday in this month is Christmas, the festival which is reminded as Jesus’s birth. according to the tradition Christmas night can be spent in the church. Many people love celebrating Christ Nativity singing Christmas Carols during the mass.

PanettoneIt is an italian tradition that comesFrom north Italy, but nowadays in SicilyWe used to eat it too.

We meet our family and our relatives on Christmas Eve, on December 24th, and we spend the evening all together, playing cards and having traditional meals. At midnight we unwrap our Christmas presents. Italian children believe in “Babbo Natale” (Santa Claus) bringing presents. Christmas decorations and trees are often seen starting around the end of November and the main focus of these decorations continues to be the “Presepe” (Crib) that is the representation of Jesus’s birth. On December 26th we celebrate Saint Stephen’s Day too. It is another national holiday in which families gather together.

The pandoro It is a sweet. It is a particular “panettone”.

Cribs

Sicily has got lots of ancient Christmas traditions in which you can find popular faith, folklore and art.

Firstly there are some beautiful living cribs during Christmas period in lots of villages. Some of them are more ancient, some younger.

The most important living Cribs

“Custonaci”

Among the well-known we want to name the crib of Custonaci, in the province of Trapani, which has been written down in the register of unmaterial goods since 2006. The crib is set in the Mangiapane cave which is a prehistoric cave. Around it old houses, sheep pens, hen houses, stables and cowsheds make a rural village in which every man works: you can find “u sillaru” (the one who puts the saddle on the horses), “u puparu” “u pignataru” and so on.

“Caltabellotta”

The living crib of Caltabellotta, a town in the province of Agrigento, is popular too. The firts edition of this crib was made in 1994. Those who visit the course of the crib walks through the alleys, arriving to the Chiesa of Pietà, where the nativity is located . The peculiarity of this crib is that the inhabitants provide their houses to set the crib in. In this way the visitors take part to the crib, visiting the houses whose owners wear ancient clothes.

“Castanea delle Furie”

Another important living crib has been held in Castanea delle Furie in the province of Messina for over 20 years. It's set in an ancient place, similar to Betlemme. (…) foto

“Termini Imerese”

Also in our town, Termini Imerese, is held a living crib, born a few years ago. It is set in one of the oldest and most beautiful places of the city, the 'Rucchiceddi', which makes us remember the atmosphere of the old Palestina. The crib is characterized by its big religious sense.

Ninna nanna di la notti di NataliMaria Vergini annacannua Gesù ch`é figghiu sò,ci dicia accussì cantannu:"Fai la ninna, fai la vo',

bedda rosa, biancu gigghiu,fai la vo`, Gesuzzu figghiu!

Chi su' beddi `sti masciddi,ch`é amurusa `sta vuccuzza,chi su' duci `sti capiddi,quantu é duci `sta facciuzza!

Lu me cori pi tia spinna,fai la vo`, fai la ninna.

Figghiu beddu e picciriddu,di `stu cori ardenti ciamma,veramenti senti friddu,veni, abbrazzati a la mamma.

Iu ti scrafu a lu me pettu,fai la vo`, figghiu dilettu.

Quantu t`áppiru a purtari di rigali li pasturi,tutti a tia li vogghiu daricu chiù affettu e cu chiù amuri.

Ora fatti un sunniceddu,fai la vo`, Gesuzzu beddu".