In the North of Italy, in the month of December, the most felt feast by the population is on the day 13 when we celebrate Santa Lucia, the shortest day of the year, date from which the light begins to reappear. In general the week venerated in the North is the one which starts from December 8^th, feast of the Immaculate Conception to December 13^th.

In Milan the sacred week opens on December 7^th, feast of Sant’Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose), the day before the Immaculate Conception, in which in the Lombard capital there are moments linked to tradition and spirituality, with the sacred and solemn mass that for the Milanese represents a particularly heartfelt and important event. Many citizens go to the liturgy to celebrate the patron saint in a function held by the Archbishop of Milan that takes place at the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio.

The Feast of the Patron is also fun offered to children who enter into a golden world and fantastic with games, rides and stalls full of many lights and opportunities to shop for Christmas gifts as well as to eat many sweets and treats of all kinds. The fair of the Oh Bej, Oh Bej every year draws a large crowd. The origins of this event date back to 1288 and today is maintained with a large presence of rich, colorful and fragrant stalls. You can find everything: clothing, florists, toys, craftsmen, sweets, antiques and even many knick-knacks, in addition to the inevitable roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. The name of the event derives from the exclamation of amazement: "Oh bej, oh bej" ("Oh beautiful! Oh beautiful!") that the children made when the Pope's envoy, Giannetto Castiglione, on December 7^th, 1510, brought gifts and delicacies to the inhabitants of the city. In the past it was organized around the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, but in recent years the fair has moved to the Castello Sforzesco, to give more space to the merchants and the many visitors who flock there.

The Feast of the Saint is also culture. For this recurrence the Teatro della Scala opens its season: a "Vip" event, in which all the most important personalities in Italy gather at the season premiere; a special and very elegant and sumptuous evening. La Scala is a living symbol of music and classical dance that was built in 1776 but was inaugurated only two years later with the drama for music "Europa riconosciuta" by Antonio Salieri. Every year since then, a different opera is presented on Patron's Day. Usually the opening of the Scala season is entrusted to an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, a musician much loved by the Milanese. This year it was the turn of Macbeth, directed by Riccardo Chailly.

On the same day of the feast of the patron saint, the Christmas trees are decorated, the most sporty people start the skiing season and the Ambrogino d'oro is awarded: the highest city honor destined to people who have made Milan great thanks to their deeds or their merits. Since ancient times, in Milan festivities begin on the 7^th. At Christmas people would go out in Piazza San Sepolcro and then in Piazza Duomo to touch the most important points of the city and sing and dance to pay homage to the birth of the Sun. Also, three large loaves of bread were baked, the crusts of which were kept all year round as a wish for prosperity for the house. This was the beginning of panettone, a part of which was kept by families who were attached to ancient customs, to be eaten on the day of San Biagio during the Candelora celebrations at the beginning of February. As in the past, this year too on December 7^th the first taste of "panettun", the typical Milanese sweet known all over the world, was taken. The first slice is eaten on the day of the patron saint. Happy holidays to everyone!