" On the 8th December,
the holiday of Immacolata day: we prepare present, we make the crib and we decorate our houses.
" We buy sweets: "Panettone"
and "Pandoro".
" We write letters to Santa
Claus or to Baby Jesus.

 

" We put the present under
the tree. On the 24th evening on the 25th morning we unwrap the present.
" Our grandmothers and
mothers cook a big dinner or a
big lunch for Christmas.
" We learn songs and
Christmas Carols for he Holy
Night.

Italian Christmas Tradition : who brings present ?

because we receive presents two times: from Santa Claus or Baby Jesus and from Befana!!!

We made a historical research interviewing our grandparents about regional traditions at Christmas.

We found out that:

1) There are a lot of differences among the regions (mostly between North and South). For example Santa comes in the North from Santa Lucia and in the South from San Nicola. They both brought presents at Christmas night.
2) The crib comes from Italian tradition. The first crib in the world was made by Saint Francesco in Assisi in the XIII Century.
3) Since the 80s nobody Knew Santa. Someone received presents from Baby Jesus at Christmas night, but the most waited for Befana on the 6th January. She is a very old and ugly lady, with a long nose. She wears a long violet and grey headscarf, a dark dress and old male shoes. She can fly with her magic broom. She brings coal for bad children and slippers, books, sweets or fruit for good children, as a wish of richness for the new year.