Around the town of Rome there are men in radiant costumes of sheepskin vests, knee-high breeches, long dark cloaks, and white stockings. They travel from the Abruzzi Mountains to amuse the people by playing bagpipes and flutes at religious shrines. It sounds fun!
Also, there is a tradition they call the Urn of Fate. The Urn of Fate has been celebrated for many years. There is a large, highly decorated bowl filled with brightly wrapped gifts. Each member of the family takes a gift from the bowl. Everyone draws a gift until there are no more presents left!
Christians in America have always celebrated Christmas the same, with pretty lights, presents, and Santa Claus. What you might not know is that there is a totally different way of celebrating a holiday, like Christmas in ITALY!
|
In Italy, they celebrate a holiday called Natale. Natale can be very much like Christmas in America, but at the same time they can be very different! Some ways they are the same is that they both have a certain someone that gives them presents. Yet they are more different than they are the same. For instance, instead of Santa Claus, they have a lady named La Befana. La Befana is a lot like Santa, but according to legend, on the night Jesus was born, Three Wise Men stopped at her little house. The Wise Men were lost and knocked on her door to ask for directions. “Would you like to come with us to see the new born King?” they asked La Befana. She declined the offer. Later, a shepherd asked her to see the new born King. Again she declined. Later that night she looked outside to see something shiny in the sky. It got La Befana thinking maybe she should have gone with the Wise Men and the shepherd. She got up and gathered toys that belonged to her child, who had died. La Befana went searching for the Wise Men, but couldn’t find them or the stable they were going to. Now each year on the Epiphany (January 6) she goes around with toys to find Jesus. La Befana stops at other houses and leaves presents for good girls and boys. La Befana, like Santa, leaves coal for bad ones.
Although we celebrate Christmas/Natale different ways, does it matter? Doesn’t it only count about the true holiday meaning? You decide!
|
Another reason we American Christians celebrate Christmas differently than Italians is the Italian children write letters to their parents to tell them how much they love them. The letters are placed under their fathers’ plate. They are read after the Natale Dinner has been finished.
Another way we American Christians celebrate Christmas differently than Italians is that the Italian children write letters to their parents to tell them how much they love them. The letters are placed under their fathers’ plate. They are read after the Natale dinner has been finished.
There are many traditions that Italians have that we would call “weird!” For example, there is the ceppo. The ceppo is similar to a Christmas tree. It is a wooden frame in the shape of a pyramid that is many feet high. It contains several shelves. There is a manger at the bottom with candy and fruit. The shelves are filled with presents.
Then there is the Tree of Lights, which is decorated with lively colored paper, miniature colored pennants, and mini colored pinecones. There are small candles hung off the sides. To finish it all up they put a dot or star on top
|
