Countdown to Christmas - Italian Style! December 5

        
                                           photo courtesy whipperberry.com


 We're at Day 5 (cinque) already!

When we slide open that little drawer today, we find ......Christmas carols!

Canzone natalizia or canzone di Natale are both appropriate ways to say Christmas carols in Italian. When I was growing up, we listened to Christmas songs sung by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and of course, Bing Crosby. Three out of four of that illustrious bunch of singers are Italian/Americans, so not too bad!

When I moved to Venice, I was surprised that the majority of Christmas music you hear is all American or English carols, either translated into Italian or just sung in English. At my house, it isn't Christmas if Christmas music isn't playing all the days of the month of December.  I still love to listen to my old favorites by Deano, Frank , Perry and Bing, but I've added some other special ones to my collection- some Italian ones.

My latest favorite is any and all Christmas songs sung by Andrea Bocelli. Here is a clip of  him singing Italy's most famous Christmas carol, Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle (You come down from the Stars)

See below for lyrics in both Italian and English (from Wikipedia)

Over the last few years, I've become a huge fan of a local Venetian musical group. They have three Christmas CD's out now, the latest just released a few weeks ago. All their music is sung in the Venetian dialect. I thought it would be fun to include a video clip of one of their Christmas songs. Here's Ska-J performing   "Mi e Ti a Nadal "  or  "You and Me at Christmas".  (Nadal is Natale in Venetian). Enjoy!

                                                                Buon Natale!

Lyrics to Tu Scendi dalle stelle:

Tu scendi dalle stelle,

O Re del Cielo,

e vieni in una grotta,

al freddo al gelo.

O Bambino mio Divino

Io ti vedo qui a tremar,

O Dio Beato

Ahi, quanto ti costò

l'avermi amato!

---

A te, che sei del mondo

il Creatore,

mancano panni e fuoco;

O mio Signore!

Caro eletto Pargoletto,

Quanto questa povertà

più mi innamora!

Giacché ti fece amor

povero ancora!

From starry skies descending,

Thou comest, glorious King,

A manger low Thy bed,

In winter's icy sting;

O my dearest Child most holy,

Shudd'ring, trembling in the cold!

Great God, Thou lovest me!

What suff'ring Thou didst bear,

That I near Thee might be!

---

Thou art the world's Creator,

God's own and true Word,

Yet here no robe, no fire

For Thee, Divine Lord.

Dearest, fairest, sweetest Infant,

Dire this state of poverty.

The more I care for Thee,

Since Thou, o Love Divine,

Will'st now so poor to be.