Buon Natale a Tutti!

 I've been enjoying the holiday season here in Venice. Christmas in Italy isn't what we're used to in the United States. There are far fewer decorations on houses or in shops. It's definitely not the commercial event it is in America!  The main focus of the holiday is food and the company of  family and friends. Food and family is central to the Italian lifestyle, and if you can imagine, it's even more so at holiday time!

Christmas trees aren't as numerous here in Venice, although you do see one here and there lit up in a window.  As with everything else, a tree is difficult to maneuver in this city. If you are thinking about getting a live tree, it would be very very small. Not only do you have to think about getting it into your apartment, it's the getting it out after the holiday that is also a problem. For the first time in my entire life, we have an artificial tree.

Window decorations in homes are also few and far between. Wreaths on doors just don't happen here. Shops decorate their windows, but it's limited. There are a few very elaborate Nativity scenes (prescepe) set up in both Churches and shop windows.

This year the city has put up more lights in the streets than I remember ever seeing before. There are even lights at Piazzale Roma. The photo above was one of my favorite locations this year- it's over a cafe at the Accademia Bridge.

While this next link has nothing to do with Christmas lights, it does relate to Christmas!  It's a great little video of Aqua Alta here on Christmas night 2009.  Doesn't look like we'll have to worry about Aqua Alta, it's been a season of unusually low water so far this year.  While there is snow to the north of us, no snow here either.

 I couldn't resist sharing this one. Enjoy!

Buon Natale a tutti!!!!

If you have been keeping track of Venice weather, then you know we have been having a run of Aqua Alta. Last night at midnight the water was extremely high, 140 cm. Tonight at midnight it's estimated at 120 cm, so because of that Christmas Eve midnight mass in ST. Mark's will be held at 10 pm instead of midnight.

We're having a very low key holiday this year., staying home. It's about all I can manage. Mike put up and decorated the Christmas tree while I was in the hospital, so it was great to come home to alittle holiday spirit. I normally hang lights on our balcony. Next year!

Buon Natale!! Merry Christmas to all. I hope you all have a very special holiday season.

Buon Natale....and lots of Aqua Alta

Buon Natale a tutti!! (Merry Christmas to all!). See- my Italian lessons are paying off!

This year we put up our first Christmas tree in Venice. We finally broke down and purchased a fake tree. We've always had a real tree, some years even two of them. Venice, however, is not an easy city for live trees. In fact, our Italian tutor explained to us that most of Italy uses fake trees. If you buy a live tree, you would typically plant it after the holiday in your garden. Since not too many people have gardens, there aren't many live trees. Real trees already cut don't seem to exist here at all. There are no cut Christmas tree stands on every street corner like we are used to in the US. Egg nog isn't readily available here, either, by the way!!

We contemplated finding a live tree, even a small one, however we'd have to haul it across Venice, then also deal with how to discard the tree once the holidays were over. It all seemed way too much work. So, we made our way to the Panorama in Marghera by bus, purchased an acceptable fake tree and some Italian lights to put on it, and hauled it home. Constructing the tree was a breeze; in fact, way less work than we ever expected. We actually had fun! We even hung lights on our balcony. No one decorates the houses here like we are used to in the U.S. No Santas and reindeer on the rooftops, no lights surrounding every door and window, not even wreaths on the doors. About the only exterior decoration we see is a Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) hanging outside a window or on a balcony.

Most of our friends and family in the United States are enjoying a very White Christmas after this past week's blizzard. My mom tells me more is predicted for today.

We did have some snow on Saturday (photos in my last post), about 4 inches, which lasted maybe a day on the ground. However, we've had Aqua Alta every day this week. Really high water! I wish I had photos to post, unfortunately these all occurred during the night, so the water had receeded by morning, at least in our neighborhood.

There's a siren warning system when Aqua Alta (high water) is going to happen, which gives you a bit of time to prepare. About 3 hours before peak tide, the sirens go off all over the city. There's one long loud blast, sort of like an air-raid siren, followed by a series of tones. The series of tones indicate about how high the water will be. Just the first tone indicates it will be about 6-8 inches high, on up to 4 tones, which signifies water over 140 cm (thats's about 4 1/2 feet). Every night this week the water has been between 130-144 cm high, in the lowest parts of the city, about 2 feet high back where we live in Santa Croce.

When the sirens go off, you scurry around to make sure things are elevated and won't get soaked, and also make sure you know where your boots are! We've had water come in the foyer every time, it seeps in under the front door. It takes a little getting used to, for sure.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all !!!!