For the Kids: Activities To better Enjoy and Appreciate their Italian Heritage.
IF You Are Looking for A Gift For KIDS. Give Them a Gift of Their ITALIAN Culture!!!
Italian for Children - Gift Ideas (Books, Audio Tapes, CDs, Video Tapes, CD ROMs, Picture Dictionaries, Coloring Books, Activity Books, and more)
Fun Activities for the Home or Classroom
Buon Natale !
Christmas in Italy is mainly a religious holiday with the celebration centered
around the nativity scenes in church and home. Christmas in Italy
is rich in tradition and history. Italian customs and traditions
add so much to the beautiful celebration of Christmas in America for families
of Italian heritage and help teach the younger family members about the
value of their Italian heritage.
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The Christmas season in Italy includes
la festa di San Nicola that is celebrated on December 6 and
la festa di Santa Lucia, also known as “The Festival of
Lights,” that is celebrated on December 13.
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Il presepio
is the nativity scene featuring the Holy Family, i pastori (shepherds),
i re magi (The Three Kings) and angels that is ubiquitous in the homes
and churches in Italy at Christmas time. Saint Francis of Assisi
created the first presepio. The figurines for il presepio
are unique Italian folk art that are sold in markets throughout Italy with
the most famous artisans and works coming from Naples.
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Presepe vivente –
On Christmas eve many small towns in Italy celebrate with the tradition
of a live nativity scene to act out the birth of Jesus just as Saint Francis
of Assisi did in 1223 A.D. Complete with live animals, children play
the roles of the Holy Family with a newborn to play baby Jesus.
Christmas carols originated in Italy with Saint Francis of Assisi. The classic Christmas carols of Italy include Tu scendi dalle stelle and Caro Gesú bambino.
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I zampognari are the shepherds who live in the mountains and come to the towns at Christmas time to play their traditional bagpipes and characteristic shepherd songs. They dress in the traditional shaggy sheepskin vests, leggings and leather trousers.
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Ceppo
is an old Italian tradition known as the “tree of light.” Also
known as the Italian Christmas pyramid, the ceppo is decorated with
candles and holds a small manger, decorations, candy, fruit and greenery.
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The meal of la vigilia di
Natale (Christmas eve) is customarily meatless. Popularly
known as the meal of seven fishes (for the seven sacraments) it
typically consists of fish and seafood and may include capitone (eel),
scungilli, calamari, vongole and baccala.
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The Urn of Fate is
an old tradition where people in Italy give out gifts to family members
from a large ornamental clay jar.
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Babbo Natale (Santa
Claus) has been visiting the children of Italy since the period following
World War II.
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Tombola is a favorite
game at Christmas time for Italian families, who have been known to play
late into the night. Tombola is a board game of numbers comparable
to Bingo.
Christmas day is an important religious holiday and an important family celebration in Italy and America. A tradition in some families has the youngest place the figurine of baby Jesus in il presepio to recognize the birth of Gesú bambino. The family celebration of Christmas includes mass and a traditional banquet.
Traditional Italian dolci
of Christmas include panettone, biscotti, pandoro,
cartellate, pizzelle, panforte, struffoli and torrone.
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Capo d’anno
(the New Year) is welcomed with optimism for the future and aspirations
of prosperity and good health. Lentils are traditionally eaten on
New Year’s Day in Italy as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
The celebration of the New Year presents the opportunity to give up the
“old” which is demonstrated by throwing old objects such as broken
plates and pots out the window on New Year’s Eve.
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La Befana is the
benevolent old woman with magical powers who brings gifts to the children
of Italy on the eve of the Epiphany, to commemorate the visit of The Three
Kings. La Befana has been known to visit children of Italian
heritage in America and around the world. To learn more about La
Befana go on-line to “The Legend of ‘La Befana’:
Fun Activities for the Home or Classroom” www.qc.edu/calandra/community/
commbefa.html
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Coloring and Activity Booklet:
This coloring and activity booklet will teach children about some of the
Italian words, phrases, customs and traditions associated with the celebration
of “Christmas in Italy. ” The booklet contains a picture dictionary,
vocabulary word images, coloring activities, word search, maze, connect-the-dots,
color by number, and more
Click here *******
“Christmas
in Italy”
to download and print. (7.83m
pdf)
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Story Books for Children:
Merry Christmas, Strega Nona, by Tomie de Paola (Voyager Books) (ISBN – 015253184x)
Jingle the Christmas Clown, by Tomie de Paola (Putnam & Grosset Group) (ISBN - 0698116690)
The Clown of God, by Tomie de Paola (Voyager Books) (ISBN - 0156181924)
The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie de Paola (Voyager Books) (ISBN - 0152438173)
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While some of the customs, traditions
and history of Christmas in Italy are outlined here, there is much more
information available in the websites and books listed below:
Websites:
http://italian.about.com/mbody.htm
Buon Natale! Christmas in
Italy
http://christmas-world.freeservers.com/
italy.html
Christmas in Italy
www.californiamall.com/
holidaytraditions/traditions-italy.htm
Italy – Buon Natale
www.initaly.com/regions/xmas/xmas.htm
Christmas in Italy
www.notti.it/special/natale//welcomeb.html
Christmas, New Year and the Epiphany in Italy
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Books:
Christmas in Italy, by Kristin Thoennes (Bridgestone Books) (ISBN - 0736800905)
Christmas in Italy, by World Book, Inc. (ISBN - 0716608774)
Christmas in Italy, by Corrine Ross (Passport Books) (ISBN - 0844280712)
Italian Holiday Customs and Traditions,
by the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Order Sons of Italy in America -
www.GaribaldiMeucciMuseum.org
(718) 442-1608
Buon Natale !
John
D. Calandra Italian American Institute: Community Affairs
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/calandra/
community/commnatale.html