Tag Archives: Christmas in Italy
A Seasonal Quiz – Answers Posted by Serena on Dec 21, 2018
Here are the answers to our quiz based on Italian culture during the Christmas period. How did you get on? 1. Qual è il titolo dell’inno natalizio italiano più famoso e chi l’ha composto nel 1754? Risposta: ‘Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle‘, di Sant’Alfonso Maria de Liguori. Alcuni anni dopo Liguori scrisse una versione in dialetto napoletano…
A Letter To Babbo Natale Posted by Serena on Dec 22, 2017
When we were children, we used to write la letterina di Natale in the days running up to Christmas. We’d give our letters to mum and dad, who would (so we believed) post them on to Babbo Natale. In our letters we’d tell Santa what good little boys and girls we’d been, how well we’d…
A Mysterious Christmas Present Posted by Serena on Dec 27, 2016
Some Christmas presents are more memorable than others. My first memorable one was given to me when I was about four years old. La mattina di Natale mi svegliai e non trovai nessuno nelle camere da letto, né i miei fratelli né i miei genitori. Allora andai in sala dove c’era l’albero di Natale e…
Astro Del Ciel Posted by Geoff on Dec 23, 2016
Astro Del Ciel (Star from The Sky) is the Italian version of Steven Spielberg’s famous Sci-fi film ‘Close Encounters Of The Third Kind’ … CUT … CUT! Astro Del Ciel, take 2: Astro Del Ciel (Star from The Sky) is the Italian version of the famous Austrian Christmas carol ‘Stille Nacht’ (‘Silent Night’) composed by…
Capitone Fritto Posted by Serena on Dec 22, 2016
In Southern Italy the most traditional dish eaten for il cenone di Natale (Christmas eve meal) is il capitone fritto (fried eel). Despite the masculine name, il capitone is actually a fully mature female eel, which is much bigger than the male. The name capitone comes from the word ‘capa‘ (capo in Italian), meaning ‘head’…
E’ Arrivato Babbo Natale Posted by Serena on Dec 26, 2014
Da bambina avevo paura di Babbo Natale! Mi piaceva scrivere la letterina di Natale a Babbo Natale, mi piaceva l’attesa, mi piaceva ricevere i regali da lui, mi piaceva tantissimo vedere Babbo Natale da lontano, ma avevo il terrore di avvicinarmi a lui per prendere i regali. Quell’omone grande e grosso vestito in modo così…
Natale in Tempo di Crisi Posted by Geoff on Dec 22, 2014
The serious economic crisis that Italy is undergoing is making itself felt this Christmas, and it seems that people are beginning to think more carefully about how they spend their money. But perhaps that’s not a bad thing. Let’s face it, Christmas has become a confusing and, in my opinion, obscene mish mash of religious…