I never miss a chance to grill Italian friends about the details of their family Christmases. I love the little twists and flourishes that different families add. Here is just one example from my friend Michaela, who I asked about her typical Roman Christmas.
It starts, of course, on Christmas eve, with – even more of course – a huge feast. This first of many food fests is fish-based since Catholics are meant to abstain from meat before a big feast day. Luckily nothing else is ruled out and this meal can extend to several courses, including Michaela’s favourite, fried eels or ‘il capitone’.
After dinner, and loosening the belt, the family sway off to Midnight Mass at the local church for an hour or so of raising the roof to the lord. Then it is straight back home to open presents, with even the kids staying up until at least 2 in the morning.
By then it is time for most of the family to retire to bed. But not mamma. She stays up for a few more hours making preparations for the next feast of Christmas day lunch. And what a lunch. It usually lasts several hours and comprises at least five courses. There is room here for annual variation but the central dish is always a baked stuffed pasta such as tortellini. The uncles and aunts hoof into it, but Michaela and body conscious cousins and siblings sneakily only eat small portions, in order to protect their beach-going figures. The meal is finished off with ‘just one wafer thin’ nibble of torrone, Italian nougat.
For Michaela the 26th is a day for escaping not just the family, but also the food. Along with thousands of other Romans, she steers clear of mamma’s cooking for the day and settles into the local cinema to watch a classic Fellini, Rosselini or De Sica film. And no popcorn.
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