December Holidays in Italy
Monday December 1, 2008
In addition to Christmas and December 26, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 is a national holiday in Italy. Churches hold special masses and celebrations are held throughout Italy with parades, feasts, or music. Offices and banks are closed, but many stores stay open for holiday shopping.
The December 8 weekend generally starts the Italian Christmas holiday season. Elaborate Nativity scenes or presepi are a big part of a traditional Italian Christmas but there are also Christmas lights and decorations and Italian Christmas markets.
Santa Lucia Day, December 13, is another big Italian celebration day, especially in Sicily. There are several other saint's days in December including St. Stephan's Day (the day after Christmas), music festivals, and even a wild boar feast. Read more about these festivals in December Events in Italy.
Picture of Santa Chiara Nativity in Naples © James Martin, Europe Travel
Comments
Celebrating Christmas in Italy is fantastic! And don’t forget that festivities continue even after New Year’s Eve with the Befana bringing gifts or coal to Italian children.
Yes, I have information about Epiphany and La Befana, celebrated in January and an important part of Italian winter holidays.
Martha
Where can I find Traditional Italian recipes for the Christmas holidays?
The about.com Italian Food site is a good place to find Italian recipes.