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.
The cult of “Immacolata “in Termini
Imerese
It dates back to the seventeeth century.
The Immacolata Conception is the principal
“patron” of the
town . In almost all the churches the image of Our
Lady
is venerated and there are three statues that
are conducted in parade. During the routes
tradition folk are
sung.
Jingle bells, jingle
bells,
Jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to
ride
In a one-horse open
sleigh
Heal 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.
Panettone
It is an italian tradition that comes
From north Italy, but nowadays in Sicily
We 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 Natali
Maria Vergini annacannu
a 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 dari
cu chiù affettu e cu chiù amuri.
Ora fatti un sunniceddu,
fai la vo`, Gesuzzu beddu".