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.

Babbo Natale & Joe (in Napoli)

Befana & me

Lights on via del Boschetto

Tevere & Castel San Angelo

Dario performing for Melanie

Dave & Dracula, the drink

Dave & Melanie recreate poses from the 2005 sex calendar

Dena and Dave at the party

Maro & Melanie at the party (with everyone's favorite Italian toy)

Melanie, Dario, & Tina, with Nicole and Mirella in the background

Melanie playing with the dice

me at the Piazza Navona Natale market

Natale ornaments

Piazza Navona

San Pietro with the tree

the scariest Befana in Piazza Navona

Piazza Venezia decorated for Natale