Before returning to New York for Christmas, I have been making the most of Natale season here
in Rome. Here are some photos I've collected, from strolling the streets to throwing a little
party. You should know that the "Befana" is the witch who visits children on Epiphany (january
6) to give them treats or coal. The Italians call Santa Claus "Babbo Natale" and, for whatever
reason, tradition has it that he comes from Finland. My Italian friends also say that the whole
Babbo Natale tradition got started only in the 1930s as a side-effect of a very effective
Coca-Cola advertising campaign. There is a big tree lit up in Piazza Venezia, as shown below,
as well as a tree and a life-sized nativity set up in San Pietro square in Vatican City. Some
streets are decorated for Natale but not all. While Italy definitely gets into the holiday
spirit, thus far I haven't seen anything to top the pomp and circumstance of what New York does
for Christmas. All around though, there's clearly something magical about being in Italy in December. The first nativity scenes come from Napoli.. and you really can't get more Christian Christmas-y than San Pietro. They even celebrate December 8th as the
day of the Immaculate Conception, with the Pope giving a special appearance at Piazza d'Spagna and a mass at Santa Maria Maggiore, which is just around the corner from where I've been living. For more on Italian traditions, take this
quiz (but brush up on your Italian first - I didn't bother translating it!) There is also a second quiz here.
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Babbo Natale & Joe (in Napoli)
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Befana & me
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Lights on via del Boschetto
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Tevere & Castel San Angelo
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Dario performing for Melanie
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Dave & Dracula, the drink
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Dave & Melanie recreate poses from the 2005 sex calendar
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Dena and Dave at the party
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Maro & Melanie at the party (with everyone's favorite Italian toy)
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Melanie, Dario, & Tina, with Nicole and Mirella in the background
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Melanie playing with the dice
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me at the Piazza Navona Natale market
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Natale ornaments
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Piazza Navona
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San Pietro with the tree
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the scariest Befana in Piazza Navona
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Piazza Venezia decorated for Natale
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