For families in Naples, Christmas Eve is an occasion for celebration, warm laughter, the delight of each other’s company and, of course, grand gastronomic indulgence. The Christmas Eve dinner, known as the “feast of seven fishes,” features seven courses of fish, one of the key foodstuffs of the Campania region. Although the significance of the number seven remains a mystery (theories range from the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church to the seven hills of Rome to the “seven deadly sins”), this special meal is a longstanding culinary tradition here and in other parts of southern Italy.
The meal is long and relaxed, often stretching on well into the evening as course after course of delicious dishes is served. Menus are as varied as the families who enjoy them; common offerings include baccala (dried cod), roasted or fried eel, lobster, stuffed flounder, baked grouper, pasta with clam sauce, and broccoli rabe. And, as the plates are passed, the wine glasses filled—and refilled—and light-hearted banter is swapped back and forth over the table, the Neapolitans share the true joy and spirit of the season together, as a family. If Naples is not on your travel itinerary this Christmas, you can still share this culinary and cultural tradition with your friends and relatives by hosting your own La Vigilia Napoletana with our special menu and decorations .
An Evening of Merriment
After the dinner is finished and dessert and espresso have been enjoyed, the night is far from over. Adults and children relax and pass the time playing an Italian version of bingo, cards and other fun games. And then, as the church bells ring in the sparkling night air to herald the arrival of Christmas, families share in the joy of unwrapping their presents before bundling up and heading to midnight Mass.
On the way to church, revelers frequently pause to enjoy the sweetly melancholy music of the zampognari and pifferai— shepherds from the mountains of Abruzzi who flock to Naples during the holidays, entertaining crowds with bagpipe and flute carols inherited from a long-ago era. Dressed the part, the shepherds wear striking costumes of sheepskin vests, breeches, white stockings and long cloaks meant to draw the attention—and spare change—of all passersby. It is the arrival of these shepherds in Naples each year, along with their beloved renditions of holiday songs, that signals the beginning of the Christmas season for many.
Another important holiday tradition here is the building and display of the holiday crèche—or presepe—artistic renderings of the Nativity scene that have long been associated with the region. Though its origins are attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, the presepe is particularly linked with Naples, where the creative interpretation of the holy scene by artists and citizens alike has been a point of pride for the past several centuries. In fact, many families share in the assembly of the crèche over the weeks leading up to Christmas as part of their celebrations. And no nativity scene is complete without the Baby Jesus who, tradition holds, is lovingly placed into his manger by the youngest member of each family at midnight on Christmas Eve.
