Below you'll find a list of all posts from December, 2007
There are so many great Italian films but one that truly stands out is the lovely Cinema Paradiso – the story of a young boy in post-War Sicily and his special relationship with a grandfatherly film projectionist. The movie is featured in all three of the following gifts: Italian Movie Night Gift Basket Subscription to the Award-Winning Travel Newsletter Dream …
Holy cow! Did you know that Italian bakers produce 117 million panettone and pandoro cakes every Christmas? The population of Italy is only 50-something million. Obviously many of those cakes are being exported. Who knew the Italian Christmas cake industry was worth 579 million euros per year? That’s why, according to Reuters, manufacturers are calling for strict rules governing the …
She’s in a nativity scene of course…Okay, back up. Naples is known for its artisans who excel in creating handmade presepi (nativity scenes) – there’s a whole street of shops selling presepi the city’s Spanish Quarter. Each year the offerings get more creative and this year, Gennaro di Virgilio made figurines of American presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John …
Is there someone one your Christmas list who is planning a trip to Rome or who can’t get enough of the Eternal City? Consider these unique presents: Dream of Rome Travel Gift Basket Roma Decoupage Window Box Roma Decoupage Bucket In the Footsteps of Popes Book – Autographed by the Author La Dolce Vita Collector’s Edition DVD Set
Food is an essential part of the Italian experience. What do Italians eat during holiday celebrations? Christmas Eve: The meal centers on fish, in the Catholic tradition to abstain from meat the night before a major holiday. La Vigilia di Natale (the vigil) is also called The Feast of the Seven Fishes. The origin of the “seven” is somewhat of …
When I first saw panettone, I thought it was the ubiquitous fruitcake that you see around the holidays. You know- the dense brick of a log that everyone hates, but gets as a gift…but no, I found out it is much, much more.
Christmas Market (Il Mercato di Natale) in Piazza Santa Croce November 28 to December 16, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Forty-nine exhibitors from 13 European countries will be selling their wares: Christmas decorations from Germany, reindeer furs from Finland, typical sweets from Austria, China-bone from England, dolls and glass from Hungary and amber from Poland.Ice Skating in Piazza della Libertà …
Looks like religion and technology have collided again in Italy. Italians – and indeed many Catholics around the world – are known for carrying small pictures (called santini) of saints in their wallets. That may be a thing of the past sometime soon as Reuters reports that a new Web site, santiprotettori.com is now offering to send one of a …
Thinking about heading to Firenze with your family for the holidays? Don’t leave without checking out our expert advice to help you really enjoy the magic of the city. Read on for details.
My friend Joe Brancatelli asks, “Who doesn’t crave a little dolce vita for the holidays?” If you do and you like flying business class, act today to take advantage of Alitalia’s business fare sale. In an article this week, Joe writes, “And at least on the surface, Alitalia’s grandiosely named Magnifica Class is a bargain for as little as $775 …
