St. Nicholas Tradition: San Nicola (more information)
Highlighted Custom: Presepio (Manger Scene)
Throughout the Christmas season in Italy, hundreds of different presepi, or manger scenes, are displayed. (The word presepio comes from the Latin word praesaepe, meaning "enclosure", "crib", or "manger". In large cathedrals, visitors can view life-size scenes and many include animated figures of camels, horses, and everyday people who might have had an opportunity to bring gifts to the Christ Child.
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This life-sized Nativity scene and Christmas tree in the Piazza san Pietro mark the Vatican's annual Christmas celebration outside of St. Peter's Basilica. Photo by Joe Beynon. |
There's a sweet children's book, Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale, by Martin Waddell, that gently tells how, one after another, Kind Ox tells homeless animals who are passing by to come inside because "there is always room for a little one here". Finally the tired donkey arrives with Mary and Joseph and is told the same thing when Mary asks, "Where will my baby be born?" The illustrations by Jason Cockcroft are incredibly detailed and luminous.
Children and Christmas: Children write letters to their parents, extending wishes for a wonderful Christmas celebration and promises that misbehavior will cease. The letters are read aloud at the dinner table and then are allowed to be carried up the fireplace chimney, in the heat of the crackling flames. As they watch their letters disappear, the children chant these words to the mythical character, Befana:
Befana, Befana,
You are my lady,
You are my wife.
Throw something down to me -
A little orange or a pefanino
Or a small pice of pecorino.
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The Legend of Old Bafana, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola
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Christmas Eve dinner: In an Italian home, this festive dinner may include baked eel, which might be up to four feet long! Of course, pasta will be served as well. A capon or small chicken stuffed with chestnut dressing is another option. For dessert, a loaf-shaped Christmas cake, panettone, is made with raisins and citron. If you're like me, you may have received a panettone and not known if your children would like it. Click here for a yummy panetton french toast recipe (with apples and cranberries).
Sources for my Christmas Around the World posts:
Mary D. Lankford's Christmas Around the World
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St. Nicholas Center: www.stnicholascenter.org |
Your Christmas around the World posts have been delightful!
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