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Come gli italiani festeggiano il Hanukkah e il Natale

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Traduzione ingles

Di Claudia Mosca, aspirante autrice e scrittrice freelance

I festeggiamenti di Natale – così come quelli dedicati ad Hanukkah – si trasformano nella perfetta occasione per riunire tutti i membri della famiglia. Gli italiani sono molto legati alle tradizioni, e tendono a festeggiare tutti insieme e per diversi giorni consecutivi. 

Vediamo insieme quali sono le tradizioni più belle del Natale/Hanukkah in Italia. Iniziamo!

Come si festeggia il Natale 

Il Natale è una delle celebrazioni più sentite dagli italiani, un’occasione importante per festeggiare la nascita di Gesù (25 dicembre). 

Come da tradizione, il Natale si trascorre in casa e in famiglia, tutti riuniti intorno allo stesso tavolo. Colorate decorazioni natalizie addobbano l’interno e l’esterno delle case, trasformano le strade e riempiendo ogni angolo del tipico “spirito natalizio”. 

L’albero di natale viene adornato da palline, ghirlande, luci e festoni, insieme ad una lunga serie di regali posizionati intorno alla base. I regali di Natale si aprono allo scoccare della mezzanotte, nei primi minuti del 25 dicembre.  

Una delle più belle tradizioni italiane legate alla feste del Natale è quella del presepe, una piccola costrizione che rappresenta simbolicamente il racconto della nascita di Gesù. Una serie di piccole statuette viene utilizzata per rappresentare il Cristo appena nato, i Re Magi, la Madonna e Giuseppe. 

I festeggiamenti del Hanukkah 

Il Hanukkah viene festeggiato dagli ebrei nella settimana che va dal 18 al 26 dicembre. Questi otto giorni magici prendono il nome di “festa delle luci”, proprio perché accompagnati dall’accensione delle candele della Hanukkah, il candelabro a otto braccia disposte in una fila. 

Le candele si accendono una per sera, fino a quando il candelabro non è completamente illuminato e pronto ad accogliere la serata finale di piena celebrazione. 

Un’abitudine tipica durante i festeggiamenti del Hanukkah, è quella di mangiare cibi particolari come le ciambelle alla marmellata (sufganiot) e le tradizionali frittelle di patate (Levivot). I più piccoli giocano con una trottola a quattro lati, (Sevivon) decorata da una scritta in ebraico che recita “Qui accade un grande miracolo”. Durante la serata, sono proprio loro a ricevere una piccola somma di denaro, che potranno poi spendere nell’acquisto di giocattoli e candele necessarie ai festeggiamenti.

 

How Italians Celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas

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Italian translation

By Claudia Mosca, an aspiring freelance writer

Christmas celebrations – as well as those dedicated to Hanukkah – turn into the perfect opportunity to bring all family members together. Italians are very attached to traditions, and usually like to celebrate all together for several consecutive days. 

Let’s see together which are the most beautiful traditions of Christmas/Hanukkah in Italy. Let’s start.

Christmas celebrations 

Christmas is one of the most heartfelt celebrations for Italians, an important occasion to celebrate the birth of Jesus (Dec. 25). 

As part of tradition, Christmas is spent at home and with the family, all gathered around the same table. Colorful Christmas decorations adorn the inside and outside of homes, transforming the streets and filling every corner with the typical “Christmas spirit.” 

The Christmas tree is adorned with balls, garlands, lights and streamers, along with a long series of gifts placed around the base. Christmas presents are opened at the stroke of midnight, in the early minutes of Dec. 25.  

One of the most beautiful Italian traditions related to the celebration of Christmas is the nativity scene, a small constriction that symbolically represents the story of Jesus’ birth. A series of small figurines are used to represent the newborn Christ, the Three Kings, the Virgin Mary and Joseph. 

Hanukkah celebrations

Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews during the week of December 18-26. These eight magical days are called the “festival of lights,” precisely because they are accompanied by the lighting of the Hanukkah candles, the eight-armed candelabra arranged in a row. 

The candles are lit one per evening until the candelabra is fully lit and ready to welcome the final evening of full celebration. 

A typical custom during the Hanukkah festivities, is to eat special foods such as jam doughnuts (sufganiot) and traditional potato pancakes (Levivot). The little ones play with a four-sided spinning top, (Sevivon) decorated with an inscription in Hebrew that reads “A great miracle happens here.” During the evening, they are the ones who receive a small amount of money, which they can then spend on buying toys and candles needed for the festivities.

The Italian Way

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By MARIANNA CUOMO MAIER, Founding Member of ILF’s Emerging Leaders Council

In October 2022, I spent two weeks traveling in Italy, visiting beautiful and ancient cities, eating delicious foods, and learning about the rich culture and history that has impacted the people today. My journey began in Milan, followed by the Emilia-Romagna region on a special culinary tour and ended in Rome. Beyond the delicious food and breathtaking vistas, this trip reignited my love for travel and especially, my passion for Italian culture. 

 

My Italian heritage has always held special significance for me. From recipes passed down generationally to hearing the beautiful Italian language spoken from the time of my early childhood, my family has always cherished and celebrated its Italian culture. 

 

While attending Yale, I had the opportunity to study Italian with the most passionate and enthusiastic professors who made learning fun. I expanded my study of Italian by studying abroad in Siena, Italy through a Yale summer session program. During this time, I expanded my knowledge of Italian and gained a deeper understanding of my Italian heritage. My summer abroad was formative in solidifying my deep appreciation for Italian language and culture.

 

It was during that summer in Siena that I was exposed to the ways in which native Italians so fully enjoy life’s many gifts. I deeply admire the way in which Italians approach life and savor each moment. Italians prioritize leisure and enjoy the simple things. Meal preparation is an act of love and is intended to be shared. Enjoying a well-cooked meal with others, making conversation with them, and appreciating it all is an honored tradition. Food is often locally sourced if not truly farm to table. Italians live active lifestyles and walk everywhere. 

 

This recent trip was particularly meaningful because we not only enjoyed delicious food, toured interesting places, and saw awesome sites, but we also met many locals and learned about their culture and family history. Throughout the Emilia-Romagna region we had the honor of visiting an authentic producer of Proscuitto di Parma, the Galloni family, as well as a factory producing Parmigiano Reggiano. In Modena, we visited Acetaia Giusti, a company that has been creating high quality balsamic products since 1605. We also enjoyed viewing the making of authentic torrone candy. 

 

Each of the businesses shared the story of its family’s specialty and history and explained its production process. These well-respected businesses share a respect for tradition and a commitment to excellence. Additionally, having not traveled abroad in several years, it was eye opening to see the ruins of an ancient society as in Rome and be reminded that the United States is a very young country by comparison. 

 

Through this adventure, I reconnected with my Italian roots. By speaking the Italian language, exploring various regions of Italy, and discovering new sights, sounds and flavors of Italy, I returned home with renewed energy and zest for life.

 

I hope to incorporate the Italian ways of enjoying life’s pleasures by living an active lifestyle, preserving leisure time, thoroughly enjoying meals, and cherishing my friends and family.

Embracing Italian Culture at an Early Age

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Written by Diva Zeckua, exclusively for Italian Language Foundation

Growing up bilingual, speaking Spanish and English, I was curious about discovering new foreign languages. Italian, however, felt special to me. Although I did not study it until I started my undergraduate career, my passion for the language began when I was around ten years old. My most prized possession during this time was an iPod touch which held my favorite app – an Italian language learning app. One of my favorite songs growing up was “Con Te Partirò” by Andrea Bocelli. I recall spending hours reading the lyrics and singing them along, being careful to pronounce each word to the best of my ability. This, among other reasons, is what fueled my interest in Italian.

For the years to come, I only understood some Italian phrases and would often ask friends who completed Italian courses in high school if I could read over their homework to see how the language looked like. 

During the first week of college, I met with chair of the Department of European Studies, and director of the Italian Department at San Diego State University (SDSU), Dr. Clarissa Clò. I recall vividly the moment she enthusiastically greeted me with a “Ciao!” Just hearing one word spoken to me in Italian sparked excitement and motivated me to partake in the most beautiful language learning journey I could have ever imagined. 

Aside from completing a minor in Italian at SDSU, I majored in biology and completed a second minor in leadership. I was offered the opportunity to work as an instructional student assistant in lower-division Italian courses where I worked closely with professors to enhance the students’ Italian-learning experience. I also had the privilege to serve as President of the Italian club for a couple of years. 

Currently, I am a student doctor at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry. I stand by the idea that learning a language, such as Italian, can complement your studies in ways you do not imagine, regardless of one’s main field of study. As a future optometrist, I wish to one day provide care to Italian-speakers in their native language.

Italian has not only allowed me to develop skills in foreign languages, but it has opened me the doors to Italian culture. It is thanks to the Italian language that I have met mentors, long-life friends, and lived some of the most wonderful experiences.

Pizza Dreams Come True: Italian Inspiration in America

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Thank you to Amy Riolo for this wonderful blog post contribution.

Did you know that pizza is the world’s most popular food? Believe it or not, we also eat more pizza per capita in the United States than in Italy! The concept of pizza restaurants was introduced to America by Italians, and are now a thriving part of our American economy. In 2021, pizzerias alone generated around 45.59 billion U.S. dollars in sales. This month, we are featuring a prominent Italian American who made his American dreams come true through pizza making.

Award-winning restaurateur, pizzaiolo, and owner of Washington DC’s legendary Il Canale, 90 Second Pizza, and A Modo Mio, Joe Farruggio, was born in Sicily and began his career as a teenage dishwasher in New York City in 1970, just five days after he  came from Italy on a ship called Michelangelo with his family. “When I started working as a dishwasher, I was making $90 a week, working 60 hours. At another job, I was paid $120, working 60 hours. In the Village, I was making $215, and then I went to work at Queen Pizza for $250, working less hours. Shortly after that, I got a better offer to go work in Brighton Beach,” he stated in his recently released memoir, My Name is Joe And I Am a Pizza Man, An American Story. 

In 1977 he moved to Virginia and noticed that the presence of the Italian culture and authentic cuisine was scarce in the nation’s capital, he says in My Name is Joe And I am a Pizza Man, An American Story (Fourth Lloyd Productions, 2022). The memoir, now available on Amazon, is co-written with award-winning, best-selling author Thierry Sagnier and offers valuable lessons for anyone searching to make their dreams come true. My Name Is Joe And I Am A Pizza Man, An American Story is the quintessential immigrant story, an entrepreneur’s tale of rags to riches, demonstrating that with courage, intelligence and instinct, anything is possible.

IL CANALE AWARDS-WINNING RESTAURANT

Mr. Farruggio’s award-winning restaurant, Il Canale is the only restaurant in D.C. to receive the top culinary honor from the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and the National Institute of Tourism. Il Canale was named “One of the 70 Best Italian Restaurants and Pizzerias in the World” and  one of Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat” 2022. It also holds the coveted Gambero Rosso title for being a “Top Italian Restaurant” In Washington, DC, and many other distinguished honors. Within a few years of opening, Il Canale became a celebrity hot spot in the heart of DC’s Georgetown neighborhood.

“If I can do it, they can do it,” says Joe Farruggio, when discussing anyone who has a goal to be met, with a smile. He firmly believes that the extraordinary situations and challenges which he overcame will provide hope to those facing their own difficulties or who would like to transform perceived limitations. Equally inspirational and thought evoking, Mr. Farruggio’s biography motivates readers to follow their passions while increasing their profits.

One of Joe Farruggio’s favorite activities is sharing his life and business lessons with students and entrepreneurs of all ages. For this reason, he was awarded the prestigious Premio Eccellenza Italiana award for Lifetime Achievement just a few days ago on October 14. In a ceremony conducted simultaneously between the Casa Italiana in Washington, DC and The Vatican in Rome, Italy, Mr. Farruggio accepted the honor and vowed to continue giving back to both the Italian and the American cultures which have enabled him to realize his full potential.

Click here to learn more about Joe Farruggio’s series of upcoming events which can be viewed here.

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Word of the Day

  • mancare: to miss

    Part of speech: verb Example sentence:Ciao mamma, ora devo partire. Mi mancherai tanto! Sentence meaning: Bye mom, I have to leave now. I'll miss you very much!