Welcome Back (bentornati) to Phil~italy Cultural Exchanges Newsletter. We publish bi-weekly exploring the food, culture, music, art, architecture, natural beauty and history of our beloved Italy.

Scroll down for information on Special Phil~italy Event at the Cleveland Museum of Art January 18th 2026

Buone Feste e auguri per un buon ano

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for New Year

Italian Christmas Food Traditions

Christmas in Italy is as much about food as it is about faith, family, and tradition. The celebration begins on La Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve), when many families observe the centuries-old custom of eating di magro—a meatless meal rooted in Catholic tradition. Fish and seafood take center stage, with dishes varying by region: baccalà (salt cod) in Rome and the south, eel (capitone) in Naples, and mixed fried seafood along the coast. The meal is often long and ritualistic, bringing generations together at the table as stories, memories, and laughter flow as freely as the wine.

On Christmas Day, the table shifts dramatically to rich, comforting dishes that reflect local identity and ancestral pride. In the north, you might find tortellini or cappelletti served in a clear meat broth, while central regions favor lasagna or baked pasta layered with ragù and béchamel. In the south, hearty meat dishes such as roasted lamb, stuffed poultry, or braised beef are common. No matter the region, Christmas lunch is unhurried—often lasting hours—and reinforces the Italian belief that sharing food is one of the most important expressions of love and belonging.

Dessert is where Italian Christmas truly becomes festive and symbolic. Classics like panettone from Milan and pandoro from Verona appear on nearly every table, often accompanied by nuts, dried fruit, and homemade sweets such as struffoli, torrone, and biscotti. These desserts are not just treats; they are edible traditions, passed down through generations and tied to specific places and family stories. Long after the plates are cleared, coffee, liqueurs, and conversation linger—because in Italy, Christmas food is never just about eating, but about honoring roots, memory, and togetherness.

Special Offer Discount $110 per traveler

Special Offer Discount $110 per traveler

Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses

Presented by the Cleveland Museum of Art

Special tour sponsored by Phil~italy Cultural Exchanges

• Ticket Required so please rsvp at 917.523.9068 asap

• Sunday, January 18th, 2026 2 PM

• Location:  Cleveland Museum of Art, 

• Meet in the Atrium for a pre tour caffè at 2pm.  Tour starts soon after.

  Click here for more information

Italian-American Christmas Food Traditions

Italian American Christmas food traditions are rooted in family, faith, and the joy of abundance, blending Old World customs with New World influences. The celebration often begins on Christmas Eve with the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a tradition loosely based on the southern Italian La Vigilia di Natale and embraced as a centerpiece of Italian American holiday life. Families gather for a meatless meal featuring dishes like fried calamari, baccalà, shrimp scampi, linguine with clam sauce, and stuffed squid. While the exact number of fish dishes varies from household to household, the spirit remains the same: honoring tradition while filling the table with plenty, conversation, and anticipation for Christmas Day.

Christmas Day shifts to rich, comforting meals that reflect both heritage and American prosperity. Large baked pastas such as lasagna or baked ziti are often served alongside roasted meats like beef, pork, or stuffed turkey prepared with Italian flavors. Many families begin the meal with soup—stracciatella or pasta in broth—before moving on to multiple courses that can last for hours. The kitchen becomes the heart of the home, with several generations cooking together, sharing stories of grandparents who first made these dishes in America, and insisting that no one leaves the table hungry.

Dessert is where Italian American Christmas truly shines, turning the table into a celebration of sweets and memory. Panettone and pandoro sit alongside American-influenced favorites and homemade Italian cookies such as pizzelle, anisette, and butter knots, often baked weeks in advance. Bowls of nuts, dried fruit, and candies appear and reappear throughout the day, while espresso, espresso cups, and homemade liqueurs like limoncello or anisette are poured late into the evening. Long after the gifts are opened, it is the food—and the time spent together—that defines Christmas in Italian American homes, making the holiday as much about heritage as it is about celebration.