'Italian versus American Christmas Essay\r'

'Merry messiahmas or Buon Natale! Let us either celebrate the extradite of Christ. It is that time of social class when family and friends come together to jump for joy for the savior is born. It is when we the fill let out is most felt surrounded by family and friends and even strangers. The voices of carolers add to the festivities of the season (Miles 359). The Christmas tradition takes its grow from Christianity. This is also the ground behind the non-celebration of Christmas in nearly countries, especially those which ar non-Christian.\r\nNevertheless, thither atomic number 18 heads resembling the United States and Italy where Christmas traditions are observed for the purpose of celebration, which transcends spi ritual customs (Miles 359). As traditions dictate, Italians take squirms drawing out(p) a wrapped r individually from an ornamental wheel which is called the urn of fate (Miles 359). As most Ameri offers are Christians, holidays are encouraged durin g this time of year. This includes the tremendous amount of submit †giving and shopping (Barnett 144).\r\nItalians decorate their radixs during Christmas time with a ceppo ( corner of light) or l’albero di natale, their version of the traditional Christmas maneuver (Miles 359). It is a wooden frame shaped like a pyramid. Resembling a ladder it is formed by several layers of wooden shelves as support. The presepe is mystifyd at the bottom of the ceppo. Candies, fruits and separate presents occupy the upper shelves. The ceppo is grace with miniature pennants, gilt pine c geniuss and colored paper. Candles are placed on it and further topped by either a doll or a star to comp allowe the look.\r\nThe origin of the manger blastoff was in Italy. This is the reason why it has been an important character reference of the Italian Christmas tradition. Italian homes decorate their presepe or parthenogenesis scene as elaborately as they can afford it. Americans, on the othe r part of the macrocosm adorn their homes with wreaths, mistletoes and Christmas trees too. The streets of New Mexico are lined with luminaires or candles in a bag full of sandpaper during Christmas time. Houses with flat roof are also decorated with these. These serve to light the way for the newborn child.\r\nIn Washington D. C., the first base national living Christmas tree was planted way back in the year 1924. From then on, it has been the tradition of the President of the United States to turn on the ceremonial lights at Christmas. Going roughly with a star is characteristic of an Alaskan Christmas. A large star made out of vivid colored paper is carried by boys and girls as they go door to door on Christmas day. They even summate lanterns on poles with them as they sing carols. Hospitable neighbors let them in for refreshments as young and old meet in observance of this joyful occasion at this time of the year (Barnett 144).\r\nIf the Italians hire their Babbo Natal e, Americans know him to be Santa Claus. He is cognise in the United States as the fat man on red vest and black boots, riding on his sleigh. He slides muckle the chimney to leave his presents to the nice kids at Christmas time. apply giving in Italy happens on the la festa dingle’ Epifania or the Epiphany which falls on the 6th of January. Babbo Natale makes his rounds on la vigilia di natale or Christmas Eve. In other separate of the region, he is known as La Befana, an Italian folk character. The gift †giver of Christmas gifts in other areas is believed to be St. Lucia.\r\nOn other places, he is known to be Gesu’ Bambino or the Child savior (Miles 359 †360). The United States is a cultural melting bottom indeed. In this part of the world, different customs and traditions shuffle in harmony. It is during Christmas time when this cultural diversity is precise much evident. Nevertheless, the combination of different cultures eventually produced a dis tinctly American taste although traces of diverse grow of these traditions are somehow still evident. The most commonplace among these influences are British in origin.\r\nThe Americans find a way to make Santa Claus feel at home. This is the reason why they created homes for him across the country. In wholeness of the villages at Torrington, Connecticut, one can find a genuinely life Santa, along with his elves. At Whiteface grass in Wilmington, New York a permanent home for Santa Claus was designed by Arto Monaco. This house replaced the reindeer for a blacksmith. It even has a post office and a chapel in its everyplaceall design. Every year, intimately 100,000 people visits the Monaco designed Santa home (Barnett 144).\r\nItalian kids are non out reciting poems around the neighborhood, they lovingly pen letters to their parents during Christmas charm American kids list the things they would love to receive as presents from Santa Claus (Miles 359; Barnett 144). The holid ay season does not start and end on the 25th of declination as far as the Italian calendar is concerned. The Italians practice certain customs and traditions to mark this season. On la vigilia di natale or Christmas Eve, an elaborate meal called the pronzo delta vigilia is served. here(predicate) seafood soup or stew, fish, cannoli (Italian pastry) and other treats are served further no meat included.\r\nWhen il natale (Christmas) falls, the whole family bed cover with panettone or the Christmas cake together with other meals (Miles 359). Potatoes, meat, onions and beans are boiled over campfires for a Christmas feast at New Mexico. To cup the meal, buns, breads and donuts are served with coffee. Polish Americans have their own unique holiday tradition. On the daybreak of Christmas Eve, no meat is served. However, when the first star appears over Wigiliais, meat can already be served for dinner. The chief(prenominal) features of the meal are sweet meats made from poppy seeds a nd honey, discordant fish, mushroom, cabbage and beetroot soup.\r\nThe head of the house gives out an oplatek which is an oblong wafer. The nativity scene is imprinted on this oplatek. A piece of the oplatek is broken off as each family member including their friends who are present exchange wishes for one another. As tradition dictates, there is a place set especially for Mary and his son in case they come in search for a place to stay for the shadow. Hay is spread on the floor and under the tablecloth reminiscent of the manger where Christ the savior was born (Barnett 144). Carolers singing Christmas hymns provide cheer in America.\r\nAs compared to their fellow Americans, Hungarian Americans place a high premium on church service services and carols during Christmas Eve. On this day, they gather around the Christmas tree as they do their gift giving when the first star of the evening appears. Right after the gift giving seasonal foods are served. The rest of the family feasts on poppy seed, walnuts, biscuits, topped with aniseed, caraway or sesame(p) seeds and dumplings. The Italian version of this is the Zampognari and Pifferai. Flute players and bagpipers from the Abruzzi Mountains of Rome are habilimented in sheepskin vests, dark cloaks, white stockings and human knee †high breeches.\r\nThey travel all the way to ghostly shrines to entertain the crowd (Barnett 144). We may not articulate one language, we may not share one religion, we may not observe the same ritual but December 25 means the same thing for all of us. It is the day when the savior was born. It is the day when the promise of salvation was made flesh. On that night at a manger in Bethlehem, the Nazarene came to the world. In all humility, he lived his life on earth. In this light, let us remember that while there is nothing wrong with extravagant celebrations during Christmas, there is a much deeper meaning behind all these trappings.\r\nThere is more to the food served and th e gifts given and received. It is the extradite of Christ, and this is the perfect reason to celebrate. In all certainty, wheresoever in the world you are in at Christmas time, whichever way you celebrate it, one truth ashes the same, it is the most wonderful time of the year (Maloney NP).\r\n plant life Cited\r\nBarnett, James Harwood. The American Christmas: A Study in National Culture. New Hampshire: Ayer Publishing, 1976. â€Å"Christmas in United States. ” 2008. TheHolidaySpot. com. Retrieved February 21, 2008, from http://www.theholidayspot.com/\r\n'