Celebrate the Novena in Italy

In Italy, the Christmas season celebration lasts for three weeks and starts eight days before Christmas. Its known as the Novena, and during this period, children go from house to house dressed as shepherds, reciting Christmas poems and singing. In some parts actual shepherds bring musical instruments into the villages, play and sing Christmas songs. The children are given money to purchase presents.

A strict fast is observed the day before Christmas Eve, and is followed by a celebration meal known as cenone which is a traditional eel story. It may also include chocolate and a light Milanese cake called panettone or a Veronese cake called pandoro.

Presents and empty boxes are drawn from the Urn of Fate, which contains one gift for each person. By twilight, candles are lighted around the familys nativity crib called the Presepio. Nativity scenes are very popular in Italy and nearly every house has one. After prayers are recited, children read poems. At noon on Christmas Day the Pope gives his blessing to crowds gathered in the huge Vatican square.

In Italy the children wait until Epiphany, January 6, for their presents. According to tradition, the presents are delivered by a kind but ugly witch called Befana on a broomstick. Legend has it that though she was told by The Three Kings that the baby Jesus had been born, but she was busy and delayed visiting the baby. Therefore she missed seeing the Star of Bethlehem in the night sky and lost her way and has been flying around ever since, leaving gifts at each house that has children in case the child Jesus is there. She slides down chimneys like Santa and fills stockings and shoes with good things for good children leaves coal for children who are not so good.

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