Italians are very fond of the December and January holidays and are celebrating with their characteristic passion, respect for family and love of tradition.
Christmas (Natale) is considered a family holiday, celebrated at a large table with the closest people and homemade dishes. Adults usually start cooking since the morning, and children are waiting for the gifts from Babbo Natale (Italian Santa Claus).
New Year (Capodanno) is a cheerful holiday to welcome and celebrate with friends, to party together on the city squares and watch fireworks (there is an old belief that bright lights drive away evil spirits). Afterwards groups of friends often go to bars to continue celebrating, according to one of the traditions, the first day of the year should be as fun as you want the whole year to be. Everyone who wants to attract happiness and prosperity should wear something red, and in order to leave everything unnecessary from last year, you must definitely get rid of old trash this year.
Surely you are familiar with the old Italian tradition of throwing furniture out of the windows. We asked our Italian chefs about it, none of them actually has done it, but they shared their own family traditions with us.
Pizza chef Manuel Surachi celebrates Christmas with his family, in the house where all relatives gather. His uncle opens the house red wine, all the adults are playing poker. After eating everyone always plays the Italian Tombola lottery and waits until midnight to give each other gifts. And on New Year’s Day, according to the general Italian tradition, they go to the square to celebrate!
At Simone Gobbi's, everyone not only celebrates together, but also prepares dishes for the Christmas table. In the morning everyone makes homemade pasta, the women go to church, and then start cooking again. Tables are filled with homemade dishes, Simone's family even has a proverb: “as full as eggs” – this means they ate so much that they became round :)
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!