An Italian Christmas

Christmas is just days away and here at Li’l Rizzo’s, we thought it would be fun to take a look at Christmas celebrations in Italy. Believe it or not, Christmas in Italy can look very similar to Christmas here in the United States. There are several traditions, though, that make it unique to their culture. The Christmas season in Italy lasts from the beginning of December till January 6th for La Befana. While St. Nick is a part of their Christmas celebrations, he is not the focus. Instead, they celebrate a kind "old witch" who brings gifts to the children on January 6th. The best Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks has a few other interesting and fun facts about Christmas in Italy! Check them out below and come enjoy the best Italian food at the Lake of the Ozarks this holiday season.


THE 8 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS


You can expect to see a lot of singers and hear traditional carols around Italy during the 8 days before Christmas, or Novena. If you're around Rome, Southern Italy or Sicily, you may even be lucky enough to see shepherds (zampognari) who come down from the mountains and play bagpipes.

GIFT EXCHANGE


When Italian’s choose to exchange their gifts depends on where they are from. In most places, gifts are exchanged on Christmas day after lunch. However, there are a few northern towns that believe that the blind St. Lucia brings gifts to the children on December 13th, and so they open their gifts then.


CHRISTMAS MARKETS


All throughout Italy, you'll find the joy of Christmas spread throughout the towns and cities. There are Christmas markets full of sweets, fruits, nuts and even gifts. You'll still find Santa around town so you can take photos with him, but you'll also find La Befana (the good witch) so you can take photos with her as well.

SHARING A MEAL


Some Italians believe that Christmas Eve is a day of fasting, and though they may eat a light dinner that night it will mostly consist of fish and no other meats. Christmas dinner, on the other hand, is an extravagant meal, and many Italians will save up so they can make it amazing. On Christmas night, the children will leave milk and "biscotti" (biscuits) out for St. Nick, but on January 6th, they leave "vino rosso" (red wine) for La Befana.


"BUON NATALE" (MERRY CHRISTMAS) FROM LI'L RIZZO'S


The entire family at Li'l Rizzo's wants to wish you a very Merry Christmas! Both of our restaurants will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so that we can enjoy the holiday with our family. We hope to see you after the holiday and celebrate the end of this wonderful season at the best Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks! Merry Christmas!

Lake of the Ozarks BEST Italian Food and Sports Bar! 


Like Us on Facebook

Osage Beach Location

Horseshoe Bend Location


Follow Us on Twitter 


Follow Us on LinkedIn 


Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel


Follow Us on Google+ 

                                                               Osage Beach Location


                                                                    Horseshoe Bend Location

Location: Osage Beach, MO, 65065, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Does Pasta Come in So Many Different Shapes and Sizes?

Image
Pasta comes in many different shapes and sizes. In fact, there are approximately 350 different types of pasta around the world. These noodles can be organized into several different groups including long pasta (spaghetti, fettucine), tubes (penne), stuffed (tortellini, ravioli) and more! The meu at Li'l Rizzo's has a variety of different types of pasta. Why All These Shapes and Sizes?  Chefs use different shapes and sizes of pasta for different purposes because certain shapes hold different sauces better than others. Thin pasta, such as angel hair works better with thin oil-based sauce, while thicker sauces work better with thicker, heavier pastas. Flat pastas pair well with cream sauces, while tomato-based sauces seem to cling better to round pastas. What's your favorite shape of pasta? Popular Pasta Shapes   Alphabet Pasta - This pasta shape is a favorite among the children and can make any meal fun! Capelli d'angelo - More commonly known as angel
Read more

The Origins of Appetizers

Image
An appetizer is a small dish of food or a drink taken before a meal or the main course of a meal to stimulate one's appetite. Who decided we needed food before more food? Keep reading to learn about the origins of appetizers! Then take a look at what delicious pre-meal snacks we have to offer here at Li'l Rizzo's . Appetizer History Virtually all cultures have indulged in pre-meal morsels designed to whet the appetite. The ancient Greeks and Romans sampled bits of fish, seasoned vegetables, cheese and olives prior to their meals. Italians often ate thin rolls of grilled veal to stimulate the appetite for the meal to come. Wealthy Frenchmen picked at hors d’oeuvres throughout fancy meals from the late 17th through the mid-19th centuries. These snacks ranged from oysters and stuffed eggs to slices of beef tongue or braised quails. Americans began emulating that french dining model, by placing these bites of food on the table to be served throughout the meal as a pala
Read more

How do you REALLY pronounce Mostaccioli?

Image
Pasta is a favorite among people around the world. Various pasta dishes are served in Italian restuarants all over, but the origin of some of the words can make them hard for us to pronounce. Let's take the word "Mostaccioli" for example. How do you really pronounce this delicious type of pasta? Li'l Rizzo's is here to shed some light on the confusion! Pronunciation of Mostaccioli  The dictionary pronunciation is: mô stä′c̸hē ō′lē. However, this version may be a little easier to understand: muss-tah-chee-OH-lee. Definition of Mostaccioli  Pasta resembling a short tube with slanted ends. It is a type of penne pasta which resembles ziti. The pasta also somewhat resembles little mourstaches. Origin of Mostaccioli  In Italian, mostaccioli is the plural of mostacciolo , cake bun, from Latin mustāceum , cake made with must, from mustum. Description of Mostaccioli  Mostaccioli is actually a type of penne pasta. In Italy, penne are produced in two
Read more