December celebrations and events in Italy naturally revolve around the Christmas season. Winter holidays in Italy include Immaculate Conception Day (December 8), Christmas Eve and Saint Stephen’s Day, the day after Christmas.
Although Christmas is one of the main causes of celebration across the country in December, Italians also have various festivals honoring the saints and even olive oil (which is traditionally pressed in December) during the month, which means There is no shortage of events and activities to discover if you are planning a vacation in Italy at this time of year.
Here are the Italian holidays and celebrations that fall at the end of the year. And to end with a bang, New Year’s Eve is celebrated with fireworks throughout Italy.
Florence Noel
Montecatini Terme, located just northeast of Florence in the Tuscany region of Italy, is now the host of the annual Florence Noel Florentine Tradition, a family event with many activities for children, including the home of Babbo Natale , Santa Claus. The festivities begin in late November, run through early January, and include a nativity village, food and chocolate displays, and a variety of live and recorded music.
Wild boar festival
The wild boar festival (Suvereto Sagra del Cinghiale) in the medieval Tuscan town of Suvereto, in the province of Livorno, is a two-week festival that begins at the end of November and lasts until December 10, when there is a big party.
In addition to wild boar, you will find other products from the area, such as wine, olive oil and honey, and the festival includes people in medieval costumes and medieval competitions, so it is still a great event, even if you do not like the wild pig.
Perugia Christmas Festival
Located in La Rocca Paolina, the city’s historic 16th-century fortress, this huge market offers a wide variety of food and crafts, as well as workshops for adults and children. It runs from the beginning of December to the beginning of January in Perugia, the capital of Umbria.
Santa barbara day
The highlight of the week-long celebration in honor of Santa Barbara is on December 4 in the Sicilian city of Paterno, on the slopes of the Etna volcano, and then, there is a parade where the nativity scene is erected.
Santa Barbara is the patron saint of the city and the protector of firefighters and the fireworks maker; It has been called many times as protection against the eruptions of Mount Etna.
Feast of Saint Nicholas
This Christian festival is celebrated on December 6 in many places in the Abruzzo region with the traditional loaves of bread and taralli (hard, round biscuits) that are often enjoyed with wine. Saint Nicholas is known as the bearer of gifts, and grandparents dress up as Saint and give gifts to children (including “coal” made from sugar for children who have been naughty).
There are special events throughout Italy to mark the Feast of Saint Nicholas Day, but girls from all over the country come to the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari to pay tribute to the patron saint of young women who wish to marry.
Feast of San Nicolò
Located on the island of Murano in Venice, it is a week-long celebration for San Nicolo, the patron saint of glassblowers complete with a procession on the water on December 6.
Elsewhere, in the village of Val di Fassa, on December 5 and 6, Saint Nicolò, the protector of children, together with two angels and Krampus, will distribute gifts after ensuring that each child has been pleasant the previous year. .
St. Ambrose’s Day
Celebrated on December 7 in the Sant’Ambrogio area of Milan, Saint Ambrogio’s Day honors the patron saint of Milan. The day begins with a special religious service in one of the oldest churches in the city, the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio. Then, stalls are set up in the neighborhood, called Oh Bej! Oh Bej! street market – selling a variety of local foods and drinks, as well as handicrafts.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
On December 8, the Immaculate Conception Day, is a national holiday in Italy with celebrations throughout the country, especially in churches, which celebrate special Masses. Although government offices and banks are closed, many stores remain open for Christmas shopping.
In any case, you will find parades, parties and music in many places, and in the Abruzzo region, it is often celebrated with bonfires and traditional songs, while Rome celebrates with floral wreaths and a ceremony in the Spanish Steps presided over by the Pope. .
Christmas soul
In the theaters and churches of Lake Trasimeno there is a great free gospel music festival, which will take place from December 8 to January 6 with the Lovesick Duo at the Wave Road Live Music restaurant, the Charleston Gospel Singers at the Urban Auditorium and Leburn Maddox Funk Explosion at Onda Road Trasimeno Blues restaurant.
St. Lucia’s Day
December 13 is celebrated in many Italian cities with Saint Lucia’s Day, a complete celebration honoring the patron saint of blindness. One of the largest celebrations takes place in Sicily, where the city of Syracuse holds a grand parade carrying the saint in a golden coffin to the Church of Santa Lucia, and on December 20 there is another parade to return her to the crypt. There are celebrations throughout the week and thousands of pilgrims come to Syracuse, and the festivities end with a huge fireworks display over the harbor.
St stephen’s day
The day after Christmas is a national holiday in Italy called Saint Stephen’s Day. While Christmas Day is spending time at home with family, St. Stephen’s Day is a time to walk the streets and visit nativity scenes, offering donations to local churches. Members of some cities visit hospitals, while others perform processions dedicated to Saint Stephen.
