The different Santa Claus in Italy
The different characters of Christmas.
Christmas in Italy
We have a lot a lot of different versions of Santa Claus in Italy, really A LOT.
San Nicoló
Comes on 6th December, San Nicolò seems to be the first version of Babbo Natale (Santa Klaus) for part of Italian people.
It’s celebrated in the south in Puglia, in Venice and other regions of the north like Alto Adige.
The night before children prepare a glass of wine or grappa for Saint Nicoló and a carrot and hay for the donkey.
Then they put outside the door a dishes or a pair of clean and polished boots or shoes that Saint Nicolò will fill up with gifts.
The Saint could bring fruit, food or even a toys if the kid were really good.
San Nicolò and the Krampus
The Krampus aren’t known everywhere, they are typical in the zone of Alto Adige (one of my fav regions of Italy).
Krampus is a monster who comes with San Nicolò and he take care of the bad kids and adults.
They are supposed to represent tamed evil, as Krampus is a demon defeated by the saint and therefore forced to serve him.
Krampus arrive announced by the sound of cowbells, what he do to people it’s very brutal , the legend says that he go in the home and eat bad kids or he go on the streets and house to whip people.
Luckily in my zone we don’t have Krumps or as child I would have been terrified of them.
Now of course Krampus don’t eat kids and don’t whip anyone, but in December there are a lot of events with Krampus in Alto Adige, if u go to one of them be careful because they paint ur face with black dye.
No kidding, if u are peacefully looking the show u could find a Krampus in front of u ready to paint your face.
Santa Lucia
It’s on 13 December the saint comes on a donkey to bring to children gift, it is said that if the child sees the saint, she will throw magic ash into his eyes which will make the child not see her and at the same time erase his memories of that moment.
The day before on 12 all parents go outside and start ringing the bells of the houses, to advise everyone that the saint is near.
The same night children use write their letter for the presents and they prepare a biscuits and a glass of vin santo for the saint who will comes to their home with the gifts and a carrot for the donkey.
Santa Lucia is the patron of the city of Siracusa, but it is celebrated also in part of the North of Italy like in Veneto with some differences.
In Siracusa
During a great famine, the citizens of Syracuse turned to Saint Lucia, invited to pray by the Bishop of the time, so that she would put an end to the famine.
Which happened, according to the myth, thanks to the arrival of ships in the port loaded with legumes and wheat.
In memory of this, the Sicilians, out of devotion, on December 13th do not eat bread or pasta: that day they do not grind the wheat but simply eat it boiled.
One of the traditional dishes is called: "Cuccìa" consists of boiled wheat seasoned in different ways, there is a sweet version, it is a cream with wheat, honey, ricotta and chocolate.
In the North of Italy
In the ancient calendar, December 13th coincided with the winter solstice and in the countryside there was the custom of giving part of the fruit to families who had not been able to benefit from an abundant harvest. Hence the tradition of giving gifts to Saint Lucia, spread from Venice to Brescia, from Udine to Verona, up to the cities of Trentino Alto Adige.
Gesù Bambino - Christkind
In Italy it’s celebrated in some regions, in Tuscany for sure because my nan always asked me: “what do you want Jesus to bring you?” and my other nan asked me the same thing but from Santa Claus… I should have realized earlier that Santa Claus didn't exist but I was and I’m a dreamer.
Christkind arrive on 24 Dec to give presents to all the kids, I love the fact it’s a kid and not an adult who brings gift to kids.
La Befana
The Befana had a really bad marketing and public relations office, Santa Claus travel around the world with a fancy sleigh instead Befana is an elderely woman on a broom.
Befana to protect herself adequately from the cold, she wears long skirts, worn and patched in a cheerful way; she wears an apron. She also uses heavy anti-cold socks and comfortable shoes. On her sometimes hunched shoulders she always has a heavy and colorful wool shawl and she travel on a broom.
It’s celebrated in all Italy on 6 January.
Befana arrive on a broom how I said and put the presents and candies inside the socks and give coal if u are on the list of bad.
The night before kids leave on the table the socks so the Befana can fill it, regarding what to leave to eat for Befana is very various u can leave nuts or biscuits and milk or a glass of wine.
In the past not so many yrs ago kids find in their socks pricipally fruits and nuts, people weren’t rich and food is always necessary.
In Italy the Befana symbolizes also the end of holidays.
Hope u enjoyed discovering our christmas tradion. I will tell u my fav celebraion of January soon.
If u like it click on the ❤️and feel free to share it with everyone.
FOR ALL MY SUBSCRIBER U ARE AWESOME 💕💕💕
Befana! 🥰 Gotta love a woman on a broomstick! ❤️