#ChristmasInItaly | Valentina Expressions

Once Upon A Time

There was a time when Christmas trees had nothing artificial hanging from the branches, but only real fruit such as apples, oranges, tangerines, homemade cookies and wrapped chocolates.

On January 6, it happened in all homes, people invited friends, family and neighbours to play the game of stripping the Christmas tree. The game was mainly for kids, a few adults participated as well, and it was fun. Those who played had to be blindfolded to avoid picking up the best prize: the chocolates. After the tree was completely naked of fruit ornaments, the count began to see who picked up the most chocolates. Kids received simple utilitarian gifts on January 6, not on Christmas. The simple gifts could have been a new sweater, a new pair of shoes, maybe an electric train with one track, a doll, wooden toys that could not be easily disassembled or a book. Kids played with other kids, hardly with toys, we were so creative in inventing our own games, told each other stories of our bravery, and talked to oblivion until our heads exploded. No kid ever stayed alone in his/her room and parents were always present.
Then the lights of the tree were turned off and one more large dinner took place with all the people invited for that evening, officially closing the Christmas holidays, unless the next day, on the seventh, was a Sunday. The new week was business as usual. Everyone returned to work and the kids went back to school. Street decorations did not exist, as Christmas in Italy was a religious event, thus there was nothing to turn off.

Christmas customs have changed even in Italy and consumerism has taken over. The Christmas custom I described was the Christmas I experienced as a girl living in Italy and today this ritual came out of the blue from the drawer of my memories.
I am glad I was born in a different latitude where I learned strong life values that helped me everywhere I lived in the world. I hope all of you had a nice Christmas and I wish you and your family a splendid 2025. Ciao,
Valentina

Copyright © 2024 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

The Coldness Of The Day After | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

Christmas decorations are down, twinkling lights are off, people have fallen into the Pacific Ocean, so it seems. This is the scenario two days after Christmas, the neighborhood is in a spectral silence and no sign of life anywhere. Christmas is over along with the stress, the rush of this month and the screaming sales. Walking in my neighborhood feels cold and lonely.

Nativity Scene

Ancient City View

Figurines

Butcher Store Scene

Modern Scene

(All photo credits given to the respective owners – found on: Trip Advisor and napolidavivere.it)

If I reel my memory back in my past and my life growing up in Italy I see a totally different view. In Naples, one of the things I enjoyed doing was to stroll down Via San Gregorio Armeno, one of the most artistic area of the city where an array of shops offer Christmas nativity scenes (Presepi) designed and built all year around. The street takes the name from San Gregorio Armeno, a monastery-church built in the 10th century over the remains of a Roman temple located in the same area.
The street is full of people looking for particular objects or the small missing piece to the nativity scene at home. Each artist creates his own detailed figurines made of clay or wood. Besides the typical religious figurines of Jesus, the Madonna, St. Joseph and the three Wise Men, there are figurines representing caricature of political figures, well-known people, actresses and actors, famous sport people, reproduction of food, animals, household objects and of course architectural details, such as fountains, pediments, balconies, columns, stairs, courtyards or even entire homes with lights and sounds inside. The nativity scenes reproduce ancient views in Bethlehem faithful to history, or modern views of today’s cities and they are all hand-made!!!

The street is joyous with laughter, loud voices, colorful people, creative store owners and visitors who stroll down the street to digest the long Christmas dinner, which in Italy lasts three days. However during the year all artists in that area continue to work on their nativity scenes adding new pieces and creating new themes. It will never feel cold and deserted the day after Christmas.
In every Italian homes in Italy, Christmas decorations and nativity mangers go down after Jan. 6th, celebrating the arrival of the three Wise Men to the grotto where Jesus was born bringing him precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Jan. 6th closes all Christmas celebrations with gifts given only to kids to symbolize that event.

I only wish the art of San Gregorio Armeno will survive through today’s technology. It is a centuries old art handed down from father to son and it is there to enjoy all year round. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina will host one or two trips a year to Italy with the intention of showing Italy with the eyes of a designer born in those parts and let people experience the ”wheel of emotions” they don’t even know exist. She will take her groups to the non-commercial Italy, areas not beaten down by massive tourism. Valentina will guide the tours through art, architecture, fashion, food-wines, shopping and special adventures organized for people who want to live it up! Check out her books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w