How is Christmas in Italy?

After what is thought of as a light dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day is all about feasting. Italians cook a large lunch called 'cerone' of roasted meats, 'pasta in brodo' or pasta in broth, grilled vegetables, and the traditional Christmas cakes for a big group of friends and relatives.
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How is Christmas different in Italy?

Christmas in Italy is celebrated over several weeks as Italians celebrate from early December, depending on the region, until the day of Epiphany, on the 6th of January. Especially the children look forward to the start of the Christmas season in December when Christmas trees are put up and houses are decorated.
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Is Italy nice at Christmas?

Traveling to Italy at this time, you should expect cold weather, the occasional rainy day and even snow in part of Italy however, you will also find beautiful Christmas traditions, great opportunities for sightseeing and plenty of chances to warm up in cozy interiors with delicious food and wine.
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How does Italy Express Christmas?

The term "Natale" derives from the Latin natalis and the Greetings formulas in Italian are "Buon Natale" (Merry Christmas) and "Felice Natale" (Happy Christmas).
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What are special Christmas traditions in Italy?

One old Italian custom is that children go out Carol singing and playing songs on shepherds pipes, wearing shepherds sandals and hats. On Christmas Eve, it's common that no meat (and also sometimes no dairy) is eaten. Often a light seafood meal is eaten and then people go to the Midnight Mass service.
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Celebrate Christmas in Italy: 3 curiosities to know ?



Is Christmas a big deal in Italy?

Italy at Christmas is incredibly special: spending your day on a Roman Catacombs tour followed by pasta and panettone is so much fun. Whether you're spending Christmas in Rome with Colosseum views and bagpipes tunes, or elsewhere in Italy, you are bound to have the most wonderful holiday season.
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What are 3 facts about Christmas in Italy?

Fun facts about Christmas in Italy

If you want to wish someone Merry Christmas in Italy you would say “Buon Natale.” Santa Clause visits kids in Italy on December 6th on Saint Nicholas Day. Children hang stockings and get small treats from Saint Nicholas. It is the beginning of the Christmas season.
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What are 3 traditions in Italy?

Italian Holidays and Traditions
  • January 1 – New Year's Day (Capodanno)
  • January 6 – Epiphany (Epifania or La Befana)
  • Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (Pasqua and Pasquetta)
  • April 25 – Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione)
  • May 1 – Labor Day (Primo Maggio or Festa del Lavoro)
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What is Santa called in Italy?

For children in Italy, the jolly man bearing gifts is called Babbo Natale -- he's an Italian version of Father Christmas, but rarely found in the southern half of Italy. "Babbo Natale is really someone who came from the northern part of Europe," said Betta Alinovi.
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What does Italy do to prepare for Christmas?

To prepare and purify their bodies, Italians forgo meat on “La Vigilia” (Christmas Eve) before heading to midnight Mass. Then, on Christmas Day, families host a large lunch—which lasts all day—featuring traditional dishes like pasta in brodo (pasta cooked in stock) and panettone (a sweet bread with raisins).
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How cold is Italy in December?

Northern Italy: 25-45°F (-4-5°C) Central Italy: 40-55°F (5-13°C) Southern Italy: 55-60°F (13-16°C)
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What does Santa look like in Italy?

Babbo Natale is a skinnier and more regal looking version of Santa Claus. They both wear red cloaks with white trim, but Santa Claus has most decidedly enjoyed more second helpings at the dinner table than Babbo Natale.
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Is Italy worth visiting in December?

Winter tends to be the low season for tourists in Italy, but it doesn't make it a bad time to explore the country. With fewer crowds, cheaper prices, and festive celebrations, Italy in December is a treat.
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How is Christmas celebrated?

Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25—Christmas Day—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
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What do Italy eat for Christmas?

What are the Most Popular Traditional Italian Foods for Christmas?
  • Pasta - especially ravioli, tortellini, lasagne;
  • Chocolate - chocolate-covered fruits, chocolate bonbons or truffles;
  • Meat - veal and lamb;
  • Vegetables;
  • Cake - panettone, pandoro and panforte most famously;
  • Coffee - it's Italy after all!
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What do Italians put on their Christmas tree?

Many of these decorations include ornaments, nativity scenes, and even food used as centerpieces for Christmas feasts. This window is located in Rome, Italy. It is an elaborate decoration that includes deer, gold balls and Christmas trees decorated with white balls and gold bows with flowing gold ribbon garlands.
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Who brings the gifts in Italy?

In Italian folklore, the Befana (pronounced [beˈfaːna]) is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Santa Claus or the Three Magi Kings.
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What is Italy's biggest holiday?

La Festa della Repubblica is Italy's Independence Day and one of the country's most important holidays. The day celebrates the end of monarchs and the country officially becoming a republic.
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How is Christmas celebrated in Rome?

Ornaments and decorations. La Befana (doll figures of this Italian Christmas witch), nativity scenes, and gifts. There is also a big-merry-go-around and Santa Claus (Babbo Natale) sometimes makes an appearance at night. Then, in late December a large nativity scene is on display.
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What are 5 fun facts about Christmas in Italy?

If you choose Christmas time to come to Italy, take a look at these interesting facts to experience the 'bel paese' to its fullest!
  1. Festivities don't end on December 25. ...
  2. Gifts – When will you open yours? ...
  3. Nativity scenes. ...
  4. Bagpipes and tombola season. ...
  5. Panettone or pandoro? ...
  6. Christmas bonus. ...
  7. On Christmas Eve don't eat meat.
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Is Rome too cold in December?

Rome tends to be reasonably cold during December (7°C to 10°C on average), with some rain showers throughout the month. The weather can shift from cloudy, grey days to crisp, sunny ones. Frost and snow are a sporadic phenomenon for Rome in December, although snowfalls did happen in the past.
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Does it snow in Italy?

Yes, Italy gets snow. Despite the pictures of sienna afternoons and the Mediterranean coastline, snow during winter is a common sight in Italy. The mountainous region of Italy receives snow from December to January, and cities like Rome, Milan, and Florence are no exception.
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How should I dress in Italy in December?

What to wear in Rome in December: clothing essentials
  1. Underwear and socks (you don't need a thermal layer)
  2. Tights if wearing skirts/dresses.
  3. Long sleeve tops.
  4. Short sleeve tops for layering.
  5. Warm Cardigan.
  6. Warm sweater – merino wool is probably enough if you are used to freezing weather.
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When should you not go to Italy?

2) When is the worst time to travel to Italy? SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. From the end of September to the beginning of December. If there is another terrible time to go to Italy it is between the end of September and the beginning of December.
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What is the coldest month in Italy?

The coldest month is January: the Po valley's mean temperature is between −1–1 °C (30.2–33.8 °F), Venice 2–3 °C (35.6–37.4 °F), Trieste 4 °C (39.2 °F), Florence 5–6 °C (41.0–42.8 °F), Rome 7–8 °C (44.6–46.4 °F), Naples 9 °C (48.2 °F), and Cagliari 12 °C (53.6 °F).
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