Christmas in Italy is all about long tables, clinking glasses and recipes that only come out once a year. Think seafood suppers on Christmas Eve, generous roasts on Christmas Day and a steady parade of sweet things alongside strong coffee and a splash of something herbal.
La Vigilia di Natale: traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner
Christmas Eve usually skips meat in favour of the sea. Families lay out platters of baccalà, fritto misto, spaghetti alle vongole and, in some regions, capitone (eel). The mood is convivial and unhurried, with simple, fresh preparations and at least one pasta course to anchor the feast.
“Feast of the Seven Fishes”
The famous phrase is mostly Italian‑American. In Italy, Christmas Eve is indeed seafood‑centric, but there’s no fixed number. Expect a generous mix of fish and shellfish, cooked according to local taste and what’s best at the market. Families gather around a feast of seven different seafood dishes or one or two different types of fish prepared in seven ways.
Natale: Christmas Day lunch
Christmas Day is the big sit‑down. Starters revolve around salumi, cheeses and seasonal nibbles, then come comforting first courses like must-try pasta Italian pasta dish tortellini in brodo, lasagne al forno or stuffed ravioli. Mains lean meaty: arista (roast pork), agnello (lamb), cappone or a classic stew of bollito misto. In many homes, you’ll also find the sausage and lentil dish of cotechino con lenticchie on a festive table, normally on New Year's Eve, as a nod to good fortune.
Italian Christmas dinner courses
Italian Christmas dinners are multi-course feasts that vary by region, but they all share a focus on abundance, family, and traditional recipes.
- Antipasti (appetisers): boards of salumi, cheeses, olives and pickled veg, sometimes marinated seafood.
- Primi (first course): pasta or soup, often tortellini in brodo, cappelletti, lasagne or seafood pasta in the south.
- Secondi (second course): roasts or braises such as arista, agnello, cappone or cotechino.
- Contorni (side dishes): roast potatoes, bitter greens like cime di rapa or sautéed spinach, simple salads.
- Dolci (dessert): while there are many authentic Italian desserts to choose from, the most iconic Christmas desserts are panettone and pandoro, often enjoyed with a glass of spumante.
- Digestivo: a tipple of Italian dessert wine, or a small amaro, grappa or limoncello to finish.
Il Giorno di Santo Stefano (26th December)
Boxing Day, Santo Stefano, is for clever leftovers. Expect yesterday’s roast in a rich ragù, a tidy frittata with spare veg or pasta, and big pots of soup to keep the chat going. It’s relaxed, thrifty and delicious.
Italian Christmas traditions
Food sits within a wider ritual of Italian Christmas traditions: nativity scenes (presepi), Midnight Mass, lingering lunches and visits across Natale and Santo Stefano. The season rolls on into early January, when La Befana brings a last sweep of sweets and smiles.
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