What do Italians at Christmas?

* Spend time with family and friends. Christmas is a time for families to come together and celebrate. Italians typically gather on Christmas Eve for a large feast, called la Vigilia di Natale. The meal usually consists of fish, seafood, and other traditional Italian dishes. After dinner, families often exchange gifts and sing Christmas carols.

* Attend church services. Many Italians attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The most popular Christmas Mass is the midnight Mass, called la Messa di mezzanotte.

* Decorate their homes. Italians love to decorate their homes for Christmas. They typically put up a Christmas tree, a nativity scene, and other festive decorations.

* Eat traditional Christmas foods. Some of the most popular Christmas foods in Italy include panettone, a sweet bread with dried fruit and candied orange peel; pandoro, a star-shaped cake; and torrone, a nougat made with honey, sugar, and nuts.

* Give gifts. It is customary to exchange gifts on Christmas Day in Italy. Children typically receive gifts from Santa Claus, who is known as Babbo Natale in Italy. Adults often exchange gifts with their family and friends.

* Celebrate with fireworks. Many Italians celebrate Christmas with fireworks. Displays light up the sky throughout the Christmas season.

Christmas is a joyous and festive time in Italy. It is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.