Traditions

St Francis of Assisi invented the idea. Sculptors and woodcarvers have made them for nearly 800 years. And at this time of year they’re a common sight in homes, churches and town squares around the Christian world. But there’s one …

Christmas is on its way, and it’s time for pizzelle – “little pizzas.”  Italy’s crisp waffle cookies have many regional names, nevole, ciarancelle and catarrette among them.   In Abruzzo, where the cookie is believed to have originated, they are …

There’s been a bridge at the site of Florence’s legendary Ponte Vecchio since the days of the ancient Romans. Today it’s a focus for Florence’s jewellers and draws tourists from around the world. But the bridge has had a fascinating …

That of presepe is, very likely, Italy’s best known Christmas tradition: it is popular from north to south and it is indissolubly tied to one of the country’s most important religious figures, Saint Francis of Assisi, patron on the nation. …

The whirl of the holidays means lots of parties and lots of visitors to feed, but when I was a kid my main concern was feeding two very special guests – Santa and La Befana. My sister made the hot …

The art of reproducing the nativity scene is linked to an ancient tradition in Italy. Three cities are particularly famous for their presepi: Bologna, Genoa, and Naples. The Bolognese tradition dates back to the 13th century, and it is different …

We are right in the middle of the holiday season and that means we are busy.  But we still want to serve delicious and satisfying food.  What to do about dessert?  The answer is easy, elegant, ethereal and traditional – …

Many holiday foods, sweets in particular, are imbued with symbolic meaning, making anyone preparing them feel a connection to his or her tribe or traditions. Crisp and sweet ribbon-like pastries have a particular significance in the repertoire of Italian confections, …

Christmas time. Children love it: as the days go by and the 25th approaches they can hardly wait to see what Santa is going to leave underneath the tree. Most adults, whether they like to admit it or not, are …

You can find bigger Christmas trees and more extravagant decorations in the United States, but nothing looks, tastes, feels or sounds like la stagione natalizia (Christmas season) in Italy. With roots in the “Saturnalia,” the winter solstice rites of ancient …