The Haysville Times
By Kathleen Barkley
Picci Castleberry came to Haysville from Italy in 1952. She had lived in Trieste until she was thirteen, when she moved to Rome. She remembers what holidays were like there.
Castleberry can still sing in Italian, just like she used to in the Christmas plays in school and in the church choir, where she played an angel. Nativity scenes can be found in churches, homes, shops, and other buildings all over Italy at this time of year. Christmas markets are found throughout the country, selling Chritmas merchandise such as sweets and other foods, flowers, and decorations. Musicians wander the streets or sit on the sidewalks, playing their instruments and singing. Passersby can donate money to them.
On St. Nicholas Day on December 6, Catholics have processions or parades. During the month of December, up through the Christmas Eve midnight service, people participate in Christmas novellas or special prayer services with singing, and Castleberry always took part in these. Thefigurine of baby Jesus is placed in his crib or manger on Christmas Eve.
On that night, the children hang their stockings so when Santa Claus comes down the chimney, he will leave them fruits, such as apples and oranges, cookies, and candies. In Italy, it is believed that Santa was born in Naples.
Christmas trees are decorated with small candles and other ornaments, sometimes homemade ones.
“There were no electric lights and no top [for the tree],” said Castleberry.
Pieces of cotton are added to the tree, as well. The candles have to be watched carefully to make sure the tree doesnt catch on fire, or a new tree would have to be chopped down and decorated. The candles arent lit, however, until exactly midnight, and they are lit every day after that through January 6.
On Christmas Day, families come for a big feast with ham, vegetables, homemade bread and pies, and sauerkraut.
On New Years Day, children visit their neighbors houses, going door-to-door to get fruits, candies, cookies, or money in their own brand of trick-or-treating.
On January 6, the three wise men visit. Also, Bafana, always an old woman, brings gifts of fruits, cookies, and candies for those children who have put their shoes on the steps in their homes. Only after this is the tree finally taken down, and the winter holidays in Italy come to an end.