Holidays and Festivals :

How do Italians celebrate Christmas?... What do they eat on Newyears eve?... Here below you'll find all the answers to your questions....

Natale / Christmas : Italians love to celebrate Christmas with their families. They start with a huge diner wich lasts untill it is time to go to midnight mass. The menu for the diner is traditionaly based on fish and vegetables dishes, followed by fresh and dried fruit, nuts, Panetone and Pandoro and of course regional specialities. On Christmas day they serve lunch later than usual. This lunch consists of filled pasta in consumé, followed by a steack or turkey, potatoes, vegetables and once again different fruits, nuts and cakes.

Capo d'Anno / New Year : On New Years eve is another huge diner served, this time they go on untill past midnight. At home also this diner is based on fish, but the restaurants mostly outdo them self with fantastic menu's, containing starters, 2-3 first courses, fish, meat, game, vegetables, fruit, dessert and after midnight sliced cooked sausage with lentils to guarantee prosperity for the new year.

Carnevale / Carnival : Carnevale is the time before the lent from Thursday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Cakes such as : Chiacchi, Frappe, Castagnole and Frittelli are served at the fancy dress balls during this period. In some of the regions you will also find "heavyer" dishes, like Lasagna alla Napoletana. Italy's most famous carnival is without doubt the one in Venice.

Pasqua / Easter : Easter eggs in all sizes, from samll filled ones to huge eggs with suprises in it are sold short ofter Carnevale all over Italy. Lunch on Easter day consist of salami with hard boiled eggs, fresh tortelini or other filled pasta served in consumé orwith pasta sauce, roast lamb or goat. Colomba - a special easter cake - is also on the menu together with local specialities like Torta Pasuelina from Liguria.

Feste / Religious Holidays : Some of the religious holidays have their own special cakes like Bigué di San Guiseppe on Saint Joseph's day. On regional saint celebrations, they sell regional specialities : roasted nuts, olives and candy floss / cotton candy to celebrate their patron saint. The "Bancarelle di Santa Lucia" in Verona (Veneto) is a very faous market which is hold to celebrate Santa Lucia.

Sagre / Commemorative festivals : Sagra del..... are festivals to celebrate the harvest of fruits or vegetables. They mostly go on during the week and the whole town helps with the productiong and sale of local dishes and products, based on the fruit or vegetable in question.

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