by Serenella Leoni, Tuscan Living Examiner

Celebrating the Holidays in ItalyItalians love to celebrate the holidays and they have more occasions to do so than just about anyone.


Christmas Eve: Many families in Italy celebrate Christmas by opening their presents on Christmas Eve. We did this in my own family when I was growing up. Because this is the eve of a holy day, it is still traditional to prepare a meal based on fish.

When my own family came to America, my mother learned how to make spaghetti with Dungeness crabs from other immigrant families. Every year, we all look forward to this delicious dish!

Christmas Day: This is the big day for Italians. Some families open presents on Christmas morning. Many families, such as my own, work for days to prepare the Christmas meal from scratch. Each region, town or family in Italy has traditions handed down through generations so Christmas is not only about celebrating this most special of days but also about honoring your family members, present and past.

Our Christmas meals usually start with an aperitivo such as a glass of Prosecco or Campari soda. Next come appetizers, such as Tuscan crostini, smoked salmon or Tuscan Antipasto (a delicious mixture of olives, vegetables 'giardiniera', tuna and a special sauce).

The primo (soup or pasta course) is usually hand-made tortellini or cappelletti or agnolotti cooked in home-made brodo (broth). In our family, the tortellini are filled with a mixture of ground chicken breast, prosciutto, egg and flavored with nutmeg. Sometimes, the primo may be any of a number of home-made pasta dishes, including Tordelli (a type of ravioli), or timballo (a 'pasta cake' cooked in the oven).

The secondo (main course) can have two parts: first, various boiled meats (these may include capon, chicken, beef, etc.) that were used to make the broth, accompanied by a salsina verde (green sauce) and cipolline (small onions) pickled in homemade vinegar.

This is followed by some type of roasted meat such as prime rib, pork or fowl (in Italy, Guinea Hen is often presented here). The side dishes always include fried gobbi (cardoons) that look like celery but are actually part of the artichoke family. Everything is, of course, accompanied by the best wine in the house.

For dessert, we have traditional Italian fare imported from Italy, including Panettone, Panforte di Siena (dark and light), Pandoro and Torroncini. At times, we have had home-made nougat candy. Dessert comes with champagne or spumante (sparkling wine).

The meal ends with caffe espresso and, for those who want a digestivo (digestive drink), a limoncello or grappa.

Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen): The day after Christmas is a holiday in Italy (as is the day after Easter). Hey, you need time to recover from the festivities and to get together with more friends and family!