Buon Natale: Christmas in Italy
Christmas in Italy is magical. Piazzas fill with Christmas markets, Presepi (nativity scenes) pop up in churches, homes, and towns, carols are sung, cities are sparkling with lights, and of course, excellent food is all around! Italy still very much keeps Christ in Christmas. It is thought that St. Francis was the first to bring the Christmas story to life on Christmas Eve in 1223 by creating a reverent reenactment of the manger scene in the town of Grecio. Later, artists of the Renaissance depicted the manger scene so beautifully, we still feel as if we can look into...