Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style! December 16

                                                                       photo courtesy megzimbeck.com

Can you believe it ? We're  already at Day 16 (seidici)!

Typically in Italy, the Christmas decorations are put up on December 8, which is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The presepe, holiday lights, Babbo Natale's and Christmas trees get set up in homes, shops and town centers. At our house, even though we had every intention of getting the tree up on December 8, it just didn't happen. Today, thankfully, the tree is up. In celebration of that, today on the Countdown I'm blogging about l'Albero di Natale or the Christmas tree.

Every year in Venice, a large tree is set up in St. Mark's square, and lights are turned on the evening of December 8.  Here's a photo of this year's tree.

St. Mark's is a magical place on a normal day. At Christmas time with thousands of twinkly lights lit not only on the tree but under the three colonnades that surround the square, it is particularly breathtaking.

I remember our first Christmas in Venice. We wondered what in the world people did for Christmas trees. We couldn't imagine where we could go to find a real tree, or better yet, carrying that tree back to an apartment in Venice. There certainly was no place to go cut down a tree. We ended up buying a fake tree in a box, then  carted that big box home on a handcart on the vaporetto, up and over a few bridges and into the apartment. That was the first fake tree I'd ever had in my life. I wasn't happy, but it was the most expedient solution.

You CAN get a real tree in Venice!  They aren't large, but they are real. Many come with the roots in pots even.  Just before December 8, you'll see a vendor set up shop near Ca D'Oro on the Strada Nuova in Cannaregio.  There's another vendor near the mercatino on the Lido, which is in the photo below.

You can see how small most of these trees are. On the bright side- they are real trees!

I even saw trees in the grocery store, for 11.99 Euros each, and have seen people putting these into the grocery trolley and wheeling them home.  It almost makes me want to buy one. Almost.  Then I start thinking about all that hauling and change my mind. I also think about what I'd have to do when it was time to take the tree down and get it out of the apartment. I'm sticking with the large, fake tree. (see below!)

Buon Natale !

Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style ! December 15

photo courtesy www.theinstructables.com


Welcome back for Countdown to Christmas Day 15 (quindici) !

Behind door number 15 is something familiar to all families in Italy, no matter which part of the country they are from.  The presepe, or Nativity scene, is a very important part of the Christmas traditions. Families set their presepe up beginning on December 8.  Most are very elaborate, including moving parts, multiple buildings, people, animals and all sorts of interesting accessories, some even including a sun and moon that rise and set mechanically.

The presepe was introduced by Francis of Assisi, who used a living Nativity scene in a cave in the 13th century. The tradition spread throughout Italy, but has been made most famous by the city of Naples wh.ich has hundreds of presepe displayed during the holidays

This Nativity scene, located in a small church in Savona, Italy, includes not only the three wisemen, but also fishermen and their boats. Savona is a seaport, it only makes sense that a presepe here would include something important to the local people.

This photo shows the fishermen bringing their gifts to the Christ child in the manger also. 

Buon Natale!

Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style! December 14

photo courtesy cupcakeswithsprinkles.blogspot.com


Day 14 (quattordici)!!!

I love the Advent calendar I selected for today. Which has been your favorite calendar so far?  And which has been your favorite Countdown blog?  I have my own personal choices, but I would love to hear yours! Please leave your comments for me. I can't wait to read them.

I'm sharing holiday lights at the Rialto with you today. These are one of my very favorite things about December in Venice. I think we anticipate the days when we see the lights have been strung  in the calles (little streets) between St. Marks and  the Rialto bridge, and on the bridge. It's an absolutely spectacular sight.

The Rialto bridge lit with holiday lights make this very special place even more special. 

At the middle of the bridge you'll find the winged lion, symbol of Venice, in lights. 

Auguri is the Italian word for Best Wishes.  It's used for occasions when you want to congratulate someone, such as after the birth of a baby, or a birthday or graduation.  It is also used during Christmas and New Years.  This particular sign is above a shop in Campo San Bartolomeo, near the bottom of the Rialto bridge.

As you can tell from these photos, Venice is definitely getting ready for the holidays.  Are you?

Buon Natale!

Countdown to Christmas - Italian Style - December 13

                                             photo courtesy www.thebrisbanekids.com.au


Welcome back to Countdown to Chirstmas-Italian Style Day 13 (tredici).

I'm excited about sharing today's treat with you, as it's a family tradition in my family we've been keeping since as long as I can remember.  My mother always made Christmas cookies, starting around now, the middle of December. We always made the same cookies each year too. She'd make struffoli, a honey drenched little fritter sprinkled with powdered sugar or sprinkles. This is traditionally a holiday treat originating from Naples.

                               
                                                                  photo courtesy food network.com

Here's a link to Mario Batali's recipe for struffoli http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/honey-drenched-christmas-fritters-struffoli-recipe.html

Another traditional cookie made in my family is my grandmother's sugar cookies with cutouts.  I loved using the same cutouts every year- the old Santa, the reindeer, the tree, and the angel cutout.  Every year we'd leave a plate of these cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas eve, along with a large glass of milk.

 

                                                                          photo courtesy Betty Crocker.com

Here's a link to a sugar cookie recipe that is almost identical to the one my grandmother always used.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-holiday-cutouts/8d58ef9e-0426-43d5-8d36-df247a3bed8b

When I got married and had my own children, I kept up the tradition of making Christmas cookies every holiday season with my girls.  We made my Grandmother's sugar cookie cutouts, thumbprint cookies filled with raspberry and apricot jam, oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies.  I had a collection of favorite cutout shapes we kept for year.

This is a photo of my daughter Shannon at about 3 years old, up to her elbows in cookie dough and flour, working hard making cutouts for Christmas that year. 

Since I've moved to Italy, I still make holiday cookies.  This year I'll be making my old standards- my grandmother's sugar cookies, thumbprint cookies with raspberry and apricot jam, chocolate chip cookies, and shortbread cookies. I've found a new Italian cookie recipe I'm going to add to my collection this year, too. 

Anise Italian Christmas cookie , photo courtesy www.Tasty-italian-cooking.com

I'm including the recipe here (click on the link below) in case you want to give them a try yourself.

http://www.tasty-italian-cooking.com/italian-christmas-cookies.html

Do you have family cookie traditions too? What are some of your favorites?  I'd love for you to share your favorite recipes too. 

Buon Natale!

P.S. Thank you so much for all the positive comments and email messages in recent days. I'm so happy everyone is enjoying my Advent Calendar series. Keep reading, please. We have a few more days in our countdown before we reach December 25!

Countdown to Christmas - Italian Style! December 12

                                 photo courtesy www.thedishmadison.com


We've made it to Day 12 (dodici)!!!!  We're half way to Christmas already!

I must admit, I'm jumping the gun a tiny little bit with my choice for today. I intended to wait until closer to New Year's Eve with this one, seeing as it is a New Year's Eve Italian tradition- but...
as soon as I saw a vendor at the mercatino the other day with an enormous bin of red underwear for sale, I could not resist.

All over Italy, everyone wears red underwear (mutande) on New Year's Eve (notte di San Silvestro or vigilia di capodanno) for good luck.  There is no rule that it has to be new red underwear, but just in case you needed some, shops start advertising and selling red underwear early in December. Thus, the bin of red mutande!  Everyone, and I mean everyone, believes in the red underwear tradition. Babies, toddlers, moms, dads, even the 95 year olds will all be sporting red underwear.  You can't take any chances when good luck is involved, so you might just as well give it all you've got.

I had to rummage around in this bin for a while. I just could not help myself. Every size and shape underwear you can imagine was in that bin. Everything from itty-bitty thongs to big granny pants. And people were buying.

It wasn't just this industrious vendor over at the local mercatino getting ready for New Year's Eve, either. I passed several high end shops in the San Marco district displaying beautiful red lingerie in their windows.

There doesn't seem to be any requirement that you be Italian to do the wearing of the red underwear for good luck. So, I'm sharing the tradition with all of you. Why not tuck a little bit of red into  the Christmas stockings of all your family members this year?  Who is with me on this? 

Buon Natale!

Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style! December 11

photo courtesy churchm.ag


I'm just going to begin this post for Day 11 (undici) with a photo:

Yes, this is ALL chocolate!  Every year the chocolatier creates a spectacular window display handmade, completely of chocolate. I make a point of passing by this shop each day early in December so I am sure to see the window as soon as it is ready. I think this year is over the top. Fantastic. 

Here are some close up details- chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

How yummy is this?

It's a chocolate fantasy! 

Any time of the year, not just Christmas, VizioVirtù is on my top ten list of places to seek out in Venice. It one of the best chocolate shops I've ever been in, and, being the chocolate lover I am, that includes a lot of chocolate shops! The second you open the door, you are in sensory overload. The smells hit your nose first. You are practically hypnotized by the smells as they draw you inside the door.  Then you look around, overwhelmed by the variety of chocolate surrounding you. This is the mother load of chocolate in Venice, and the young chocolatier behind the counter is probably Willie Wonka's cousin. 

Located at San Polo 2898/A, just steps away from both the San Toma Vaporetto stop and the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa di Frari (the Frari), it's easy to find, and almost impossible to leave once you've been inside. 

Put it on your list if you are planning a visit to Venice. Just do it. Indulge!

Here's a link to their website, which includes directions as well as online shopping. Yes, I did say online shopping!

http://www.viziovirtu.com/

Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style! December 10

                                                                    photo courtesy theartfulcrafter.com


Welcome back to Day 10 (dieci) of my Countdown to Christmas, Italian Style.

Today I'm sharing the Christmas market at Campo San Polo with you. There are Christmas markets all over Italy, usually open from the beginning of December until Christmas eve. Some are more famous than others, such as the one in Piazza Navona in Rome and the one in Verona. They are very similar to the very famous German and Austrian Chriskindlmarts.  The little stalls sell food, drinks, and crafts by local artisans. They are a perfect way to spend a day wandering through the little Christmas village, and purchasing  unique Christmas presents.

Ours here in Campo San Polo is very small compared to the others, but none the less, it's a way in which we now Christmas is right around the corner in Venice. It's in the same campo as the skating rink  ( see Countdown to Christmas Day 9) so it's an ideal way to spend an hour or two while the kids are skating!

I can never resist a porchetta sandwich from this vendor!

Smoked mozzrella - scamorza

I hope you are enjoying a taste of Christmas in Venice.

For more information on Christmas markets in Italy click on this link http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Italy.html

If you've ever been to a Christmas market anywhere in Italy, I'd love for you to share your experience with m by posting a comment below.


Buon Natale!

Countdown to Christmas - Italian Style! December 9

                                                photo courtesy www.skiptomylou.com

Welcome back to Karen's Countdown to Christmas - Italian style!  It's Day number 9 (nove).

Do any of you have advent calendars you use every year?  Do any of you buy the ones made out of cardboard that have a chocolate candy behind each door?  I particularly loved the one I'm featuring on today's post. This suits my style, and I really like that each day is an ornament to be hung on the tree. Something like this might just make an appearance in our house next Christmas.

Today I've chosen to write about something that has become very meaningful to Venetians who live in the city, something that in recent years has become a harbinger of the holiday season.

An ice-skating rink (about 400 sq. meeters) is constructed in the middle of Campo San Polo It's the perfect location in the city, central to everyone. This year, the skating rink opened on December 6, and will remain open until February 17, including the entire Carnevale season.

                  
This is the poster that is hanging in almost every vaporetto stop around the city, announcing not only the ice rink in Campo San Polo, but also the one in the center of Mestre.

I stopped in the campo yesterday and was gratified to see so many families and children enjoying themselves on a beautiful, sunny winter afternoon.  In a city that doesn't offer any winter sporting activities, ice-skating is a novelty that is quite irresistable. For the few short weeks the rink is in operation, it's a very popular spot.

Just look at these smiling faces! You know they are having a blast out there on the ice.

I came across a video of the grand opening of the rink in 2011.  That year the center of the rink had a spectacular "sculpture" in the center that was lit up each night, and my favorite local musical group Ska-J performed live that night. In the last few years, we haven't had anything quite so memorable, and no light sculpture either!

Video courtesy Venezia Marketing

If you are in Venice over the holiday season, I hope you will take time to enjoy yourself in Campo San Polo.  I've included a link for more information.

List of Hours and Prices for ice rink at Campo San Polo

Buon Natale!