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For Donato Chiusano of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi, creating beautiful presepi (Italian manger scenes) is more than a passion—it is a way to give glory to Christ all year long. I first met Donato last December when I saw one of his beautiful creations on a Facebook group, “Irpinia Terra di Mille Tradizioni.” I was struck by the extreme craftsmanship i...

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Unofficially running from the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th to Epiphany on nJanuary 6th, Christmas is a big deal in Italy. You can always count on the country pulling out all the stops when it comes to Christmas decorations, with each town putting its own unique spin on seasonal displays. Whether it’s spellbinding light shows,...

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Many Italian-Americans today trace their heritage back to the Italian immigrants who arrived on Ellis Island back in the late 1800s. Along with their luggage, they brought their language, traditions, and food. These days, Italian food is so ubiquitous in American culture that some countries may recognize pizza and, to a lesser extent, spaghetti as...

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Naples has always been a place of strong contrasts, so it is only natural that nativity scenes, the extraordinary “product” of the local artisan production, would become embroiled in this and become the basis on which all these contradictions miraculously converge and are formed. The Neapolitan tradition of nativity scenes can be traced back to the...

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Since the holidays are approaching, and winter along with them, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the color white. Since we are all always hoping for a white Christmas, snow-covered beautiful landscapes, let’s talk about Italian expressions with the color “white.”  When talking about white and snow, most Italian cannot help but think abo...

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The holiday season is often a time for people to embrace family traditions that have been passed around for generations. And many of these traditions are centered on food — especially for the Italians in the area. Italian Americans who have roots in the Naples region are probably familiar with the Italian version of honey balls, called struffoli. B...

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My dad’s side of the family is extremely Italian; loud, talking with our hands, obsessed with food, you get the gist. I only get to see this side of the family on Christmas day, and occasionally in the summer, so spending time with them is my absolute favorite part of the holiday. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we haven’t been able to have our tra...

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It’s that time of year where the Italian tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes in Philadelphia is in full swing. However, in 2022, there are some new variations of the classic meal and some traditional favorites to indulge in, and we’ve got a round-up of all of the renditions to try.  Oyster House One thing this Center City hotspot certainly k...

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In Italy the month of December is ideal for visiting big cities such as the capital because the Christmas in Rome are something unique and magical. In fact on this occasion the city becomes an outdoor workshop with light markets and decorations that immerse visitors in a magical atmosphere. Here you will have the opportunity to discover what are th...

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If you grew up in an Italian-American family, then chances are you celebrated the Feast Of The Seven Fishes as part of your year-end celebrations. Usually observed during Christmas Eve dinner (Cenone della Vigilia di Natale), it’s a special holiday feast that includes seven different types of seafood. But what’s the connection to seven fishes on Ch...

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