Christmas calendar

Your Calendar for Christmas:

December 6, La festa di San Nicola, Patron saint of shepherds. (the original Santa Claus)

Not to be confused with our Fantastico Nicky of Capena 

Nicky profile in the morning

December 8, La festa dell'Immacolata (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) Rome, Piazza Spagna

On this day we would go to the Piazza Spagna where the famous Spanish Steps are located and the great column of the Immaculate Conception with its remodelled statue of Venus into a Virgin Mary with all the right curves. The Pope comes to the Piazza and will put a crown of flowers on the statue, the firemen are required since the statue is way up on a large column from a pagan temple.

 At the fountain of the boat in Piazza Spagna with the Column of the Immacolata behind me.

 Royal Spanish Embassy to the Holy See on Piazza Spagna with special banners for the Feast Day.

The Pope and his escort of honour.

December 13, La festa di Santa Lucia (Festival of Lights)

The story goes that She plucked out her eyes so that her intended could not see her beautiful eyes, she only wanted to be a Saint. 

December 24, La Vigilia di Natale, (Christmas Eve)

December 25, Natale (birth day of Jesus)

December 26 La festa di San Stefano (Boxing Day in Canada)

December 31 La festa di San Silvestro, la vigilia di Capodanno (New Year's Eve)

January 1, Il Capodanno (New Year's Day, the top of the year)

January 6, L'Epifania (epiphany the arrival of the 3 wise men) and the Befana, the old lady who gives gifts to children good or bad, though the bad ones get a lump of coal.  

La Befana, the old lady who brings gifts to children all the while looking for the infant Jesus. (Italian tradition)