Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each and every one of you!
Enjoy my pictorial tour of Italy's Christmas decorations, from Sicily to Venice 🎄
As you read this it’s Christmas Eve, and I hope you are already enjoying the festivities and the joy of the holiday season.Â
My holiday plans have all gone awry as several days ago I came down with covid. I just completed one day of Paxlovid and I’m in awe of how quickly and wonderfully it takes effect. Just yesterday I was so unwell I was a bit scared and alarmed but today the world is looking sunny again. I'm pretty wobbly but should be well enough to prepare a pared down but traditional seafood Christmas Eve meal for my husband and myself. No daughter and grandkids this Christmas even though stockings are filled and gifts piled under the tree.Â
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Tomorrow I'll pop a turkey in the oven for our Christmas day late lunch. It’s such a curative meal and the bones will yield a delicious soup to last all through my recovery. The Italian touch to our Christmas meal is tortellini in a delicious broth, and of course the classic dessert calls for panettone and pandoro, both of which we have on hand, along with Christmas cookies.
Often I make my own panettone like this one:
My annual cookie baking group doesn’t just make Christmas cookies; every year it's an event. Each year we have a different outfit - this year we were jingle bells. Take a look at our jingle bell bracelets, headbands, and monogrammed jingle bell aprons. And there's always lots of holiday music while we bake plus a little bit of dancing and good wine!
So fun, and at the end of the day after baking thousands of cookies we each take home a big stash to decorate and gift to friends and family, and to enjoy over the holidays.
Italy is full of holiday sparkle and gorgeous trees from north to south, and on the islands.
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Please enjoy my pictorial tour of Italy this Christmas 2023! Photos are mine, along with some other Italy-wide photos shot by others.
Every year I spend one day by myself in mid December strolling all through the city to the spots I know have fabulous holiday decor – piazze, hotels and businesses.
The Hotel Hassler, at the top of the Spanish Steps, always has exquisite holiday decor. It begins with the festive look of the hotel’s exterior:Â
Then the main tree in the lobby:
And then another gorgeous tree next to the hotel’s winding staircase. This year the staircase features a few trees.
The Hassler has an outdoor dining area and this year it too is decked out.
Some of my other favorite hotels are the Hotel della Ville:
The Hotel de Russie on Via del Babuino:
The Eden Hotel near the American Embassy:
And of course the Embassy itself:
Some of Rome's businesses always make a point of decking out their exterior with a fabulous tree, sometimes quite unusual like this year's Fendi building:
And then there are Rome’s piazze.
The Vatican’s St. Peter's Square always has a lovely tree with an artisanal nativity scene:
The Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps this year feature a white tree:
There's always a great tree in Piazza Fontanella Borghese:
Although the City of Rome normally places its tree right in Piazza Venezia, this year, because of enhancements on the city’s metro line, the tree is in Piazza del Popolo – exactly where I get off my North Rome train line.Â
The tree is gorgeous during the day…
…but at night it transforms into something magnificent. This nighttime photo was shot by my friend Linda Martinez from the Beehive.
Piazza Navona has an historic carousel and lots of stands selling holiday treats, and kitsch gift items. It's full of fun and holiday spirit.
Do you have a favorite Christmas tree (not including yours at home!), in Italy or somewhere else in the world? Let me know in my exclusive subscriber chat!
Throughout Italy there are magnificent Christmas trees like this one in Florence:
And this tree from Piazza Nettuno in Bologna:
Milan has a fabulous tree in the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, provided by Swarovski:
The Naples Christmas tree is right in the center of the city in Piazza del Mercato:
I don't think there's a city in Italy more unique and photogenic than Venice and the Santa Claus photos in gondolas on the canal are fabulous!
Let's not forget about Italian islands, like Capri:
And Sicily:
Whatever you’re doing this holiday season, may it be joyful, full of good health and above all - this year especially - a prayer for peace worldwide 🕊
What a wonderful post Wendy...so glad to hear you are feeling a bit better!
So sorry about the Covid. We’ve had a few cancellations this year too. Seems it’s going to be a new holiday tradition-- the Christmas Covid. I’ll take the pandoro, thanks....