Christmas in Italy: traditions, food, markets, and family time

Christmas is my favourite time of the year and in Italy is magical. It’s a season fills the air with warmth, light, and anticipation. From the moment the calendar turns to December, the country transforms: piazzas glow with fairy lights, bakeries overflow with panettoni, and families prepare for gatherings and spend time together.

The Beginning: December 8th, Immaculate Conception

For Italians, Christmas truly begins on December 8th, the celebration of the Immaculate Conception. This is the day when families decorate the Christmas tree and set up the presepe (nativity scene). I remember as a child the excitement of unwrapping the figurines and carefully placing them with my nonna, all the little lights filling the house with joy. And the smell from the kitchen where all sorts of delicious food was being prepared by my grandma and her sister. That’s when Christmas felt real.

Traditions that unite Italy

Although customs vary from north to south, some traditions are shared everywhere by most of Italian families during Christmas time:

• Nativity scenes (presepe): Naples is famous for its artisans who create elaborate figurines, but every Italian home has its own version.

• Christmas Eve (La Vigilia): The 24th is the heart of the celebration. Families gather for a long dinner, often fish‑based in the south, meat‑based in the north.

• Tombola: Our version of bingo, played after dinner. The thrill of waiting for your number, the laughter when someone shouts “Tombola!” It’s part of the magic.

• Midnight Mass: For many, heading to church at midnight is a spiritual highlight, a moment of reflection before the joy of presents.

• La Befana: On January 6th, children wake to find sweets from the kindly witch who closes the festive season.

Italian Christmas food: A feast for the senses

Food is the heartbeat of Christmas in Italy. Each region has its specialties, but some dishes are loved nationwide:

• Panettone: The Milanese sweet bread, tall and fluffy, filled with raisins and candied fruit. For me, the smell of panettone being sliced is the smell of Christmas.

• Pandoro: From Verona, golden and star‑shaped, dusted with sugar like fresh snow. (I suggest try it with a generous portion of mascarpone cream!)

• Torrone: Nougat made with honey and nuts, sticky and sweet, perfect with coffee.

• Struffoli: Neapolitan honey‑coated dough balls, piled high and decorated with sprinkles.

• Cappelletti in brodo: In Emilia‑Romagna, families gather to roll pasta by hand, filling it with meat before serving it in broth. A must in my family!

• Cenone di Natale: The grand Christmas Eve dinner, which may include different regional dishes.
  

Christmas markets in Italy

Italy’s Christmas markets are among the most beautiful in Europe, each with its own character. Find here the most popular and visited:

• Bolzano Christmas Market: Wooden stalls, mulled wine, and Alpine crafts.

• Verona Christmas Market: German‑style stalls in Piazza dei Signori, framed by Verona’s medieval beauty.

• Milan’s Oh Bej! Oh Bej! Market: A historic fair near Castello Sforzesco, buzzing with gifts and street food.

• Rome’s Piazza Navona Market: A lively mix of toys, sweets, and nativity figures.

• Naples’ San Gregorio Armeno: The street of nativity artisans, where creativity spills from every shop.

• Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce Market: German delicacies and Tuscan crafts in a Renaissance setting.
  

Walking through these markets feels like stepping into a storybook. The smell of roasted chestnuts, the sound of carols, the sparkle of lights, it’s impossible not to feel festive!

My family Christmas in Italy

For me, Christmas is not complete without our family gathering at my aunt’s house on December 24th. Everyone brings food, drinks and all sorts of sweets. The table groans under the weight of dishes, but it’s not just about eating, it’s about sharing and spend time together for something special.
The protagonist of our festive meals is cappelletti. A traditional kind of filled pasta served with broth, a comfort regional dish we prepare weeks before and freeze for Christmas! You can find my family's recipe here!

And of course, I have my own little indulgence when it comes to Christmas desserts. I love to prepare a silky mascarpone cream to spoon generously over slices of pandoro. It’s already heavenly on its own, but sometimes I can’t resist adding a splash of Irish cream liqueur on top, just enough to give it a cheeky kick and make the whole thing feel extra festive! It’s my secret way of turning a traditional treat into something a little more decadent, and my family always teases me for “spiking the cream,” but they never say no when I serve it!

After dinner, we clear the table and bring out the tombola board. Coins and old stuff we want to give away become prizes, and laughter fills the room as we wait for the numbers to be called. Children grow restless, watching the clock, waiting for midnight.

When the clock strikes twelve, we open our presents. There’s always joy, but also gratitude for being together, for carrying on traditions, for the warmth of family. That moment, surrounded by people I love, is what Christmas in Italy means to me.

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