CHRISTMAS IN ITALY  

In Italy Xmas Time starts eight days before 25th December: a special Novena of prayers and church services begin. From the Castle of Saint Angel in Rome a cannon is fired to proclaim the opening of the Holy Season. In these days children dressed as shepherds go from house to house playing songs on shepherds' pipes, and they receive money. In Rome real shepherds, coming from the villages nearby, carry out the performance. Shepherds Many people observe a strict fast 24 hours before Xmas after which a meal with many dishes (but no meat) is served. The traditional Christmas dinner, Cenone, is made up of spaghetti and anchovies, an assortment of fish, fresh broccoli, tossed salad, fruits and the traditional cake panettone. Panettoni A Yule log, the Ceppo, is burned. The Urn of Fate, an old Italian tradition, is a large bowl that hold wrapped gifts for members of the family. When the family gets together, each member takes his turn at drawing a gift from the urn until all the presents are distributed. The presepio (manger or crib) represents in miniature the Holy Family in the stable and is the centre of Christmas for families. The presepio figures are usually hand-carved and very detailed in features and dress.   The Holy Family Children in Italy hang up their stockings on the Feast of Epiphany, January 6. They celebrate the visit of the three kings to Bethlehem. The Three Wise Men Instead of Santa Claus, children are expecting La Befana. She is a witch-like character who rides around on a broom. The legend is that the Three Wise Men stopped at Befana's hut to ask directions on their way to Bethlehem and asked her to join them. She said no, she was too busy. Later when it was dark and she saw a great light in the sky, she thought perhaps she should have gone with the Wise Men. So she gathered some toys that had belonged to her own baby, who had died, and ran to find the kings. But Befana could not find them or the stable. Now, each year she looks for the Christ Child. And each year since she cannot find him, she leaves the gifts for the good children and pieces of charcoal for the bad ones. La Befana No meat is eaten for 24 hours before Xmas Eve, but there follows a meal as big as the family can afford. A special New Year Banquet is eaten on the last day of the year, with raisin bread, turkey, chicken, rabbit and spaghetti. Champagne is the drink of the evening. Recipes From the North of Italy Recipe for polenta 1 1/2 Cups corn meal 4 or 5 Cups of water 1 1/2 Teaspoons of salt 4 Italian sausages 1 Cup tomato sauce Parmesan cheese Butter Directions: Mix the corn meal with 1 cup cold water, then add 3 cups of boiling water and the salt. Cook in top of the double boiler until a very thick mush, about 25 minutes. Cut the sausages in 1-inch lengths and sautè them until they are brown. Add the sausages to the tomato sauce. Spread half of the corn meal mush on the bottom of a shallow greased baking dish. Add the tomato sauce and sausages and cover with the rest of the mush. Spread soft butter over the top, sprinkle well with parmesan cheese and put in the oven until hot. From the South of Italy Recipe for Anguilles (Eel) En Matelote 2 1/2 Pounds of eel 1/4 Pound of salt pork 1 Large onion 2 Tablespoon of flour 1/4 Pund of mushrooms 6 Peeled shrimps 3/4 Cup pf red wine (claret) 2 tablespoons of butter 1 Cup of light boullion 1 Bouquet of herbs Salt and pepper Directions: The eel is cut in 3-inch lengths. Fry out the dices pork and remove it from the grease. Fry the diced onion in the fat until it is golden colour, then stir in the flour. Add all the other ingredients except the eel and salt pork and coo the sauce for 10 minutes. For the herbs, tie a sprig each of fennel, basil, and tarragon together. Poach the eel in this sauce for 15 to 20 minutes until tender but not falling apart. The sauce may be just right, but if necessary, thicken it with a little potato flour. Add the salt pork bits. It is delicious with fluffy wild rice. Eel is one of the dishes served for Christmas Eve in Sicily. Some pupils say how they spend Christmastime: Christmas is the most important festivity in the year. My family and I spend Xmas Eve  at granny's house. There are lots of relatives too. We have a big dinner: steaks, potatoes, salad, fish and cakes. We exchange gifts. I get lots of presents. I spend Xmas Day with my parents and my granny. (Pirone Silvia 3D) My family and I spend Xmas Eve at our friends' house. We have a lot different food for dinner, after we play bingo  ("tombola" in Italian) and cards. Then I open my presents. In Xmas time my mother and I decorate the house with a Xmas tree and little Santa Claus. (Finuola Fabiana 3D) Xmas is the most important festivity in the world. Cities are more beautiful and have a lot of colours. I spend Xmas Eve with my parents, my sister, my brother and our relatives. We have "pasta" with tomatoes (cannelloni) for dinner. Then we play bingo and cards. (Fasulo Andrea3D )