My Best Italian Christmas Roundup

Every year Mom had special traditions in our Italian family on Christmas Day and of course we celebrate the birthday of our Lord.

These recipes are all handed down through the years in our Italian household from Grandma, Mom, and Aunts and the recipes were continued on through each generation on to our kids and grandchildren.

We still do the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is traditionally Lasagna, Antipasto and Ham or Lamb ,but don't forget to check out our Holiday side dishes.

We all love Italian desserts and struffoli is at the top of the list of must make along with many cookies.

Stroll through this delicious gallery of recipes and see if anything jars your Italian family's memory of Christmas traditional meals.

During the month of December, we love to make homemade candies and special treats for the kids and holidays are perfect for family fun, carrying on traditions and keeping our loved ones alive with their memories in the kitchen.

Here is a great roundup I make every year to celebrate the present family and those we lost with love and gratitude they left behind their culinary legacy.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

The tradition in an Italian family on Christmas Eve is to not eat meat.

In Italy, the Christmas celebration lasts about one month, starting on December 8th, the day of the Immacolata, on which traditionally the presepe (Nativity scene) and the Christmas tree are set up, and lasting until the Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, on January 6th.

In Italy, Christmas Eve is usually a family gathering.

Traditionally, the cenone (Christmas supper) is served at home and children recite little verses for their parents and family.

Festive Holiday Appetizers

The Menu

Presents are given on Christmas Eve or on the 25th.

The menu of the Cenone varies from region to region, but traditionally it excludes meat items and is based mainly on fish.

For dessert, there are all kinds of fancy holiday bread such as panettone, filled with raisins and candied fruits, and such sweets as cannoli, a cheese-filled pastry, and many other delicacies.

Family parties continue until almost midnight when everyone attends church services and worships.

The Christmas Day dinner is the most important Christmas family tradition in Italy.

While Christmas Eve’s supper is a meatless meal, on Christmas Day it is permissible to eat meat.

Usually, it will be stuffed cappone (capon) or tacchino, or mixed roast or roast beef.

Panettone is served as a dessert or as breakfast.

Another famous Christmas bread is pandoro which originated from Verona. The Torrone (nougat), with honey or chocolate almonds or pistachios, is the most typical of the Christmas sweets.

You will find some of these delicious traditional treats below.