In Italy  the centuries-old  tradition of  the Christmas PRESEPE  (creche )  endures  as the most  important symbol of   Christmas .

We are so keen on this tradition that in some small towns and villages, local people   perform  the birth of Jesus  Christ in a lively and personal way using people dressed up in ancient costumes  to represent the key figures in the scene. The ancient village atmosphere  is also recreated  setting  up   scenes of traditional  Italian ancient crafts and trades.  

These forms of dramatization are called PRESEPI VIVENTI 

The origins of this Italian tradition date back to 1223 when San Francesco d’Assisi  decided to bring to life the Mistery of God becoming human.

The PRESEPI VIVENTI  are usually on Christmas Day, December 26, January 6 and on the day of the Epiphany, when the three Wise Men, the Magi, brought their gifts to baby Jesus.

The oldest living nativity scene  is the one of Greccio,( RIETI)  dating back to 1233 ( as San Francesco D’assisi will)  

In Italy and especially in Taranto, it is a 'custom to set up the Christmas tree on December 8, the day,we celebrate the Virgin Mary (  Immacolata) who  has been  patroness of Taranto - like San Cataldo - since 1943 In fact, according to a legend ,it  was the night between 7 and 8 December 1710 and suddenly, Taranto was struck by a violent earthquake that caused extensive damage without claiming victims. The population  attributed the miracle  to the Virgin Mary, who was so proclaimed protector of the city the following July. The crib is another  symbol  used in most  Christmas traditions around the world but the Presepi viventi ( living crache) , is a unique -Italian tradition.

The first nativity scene dates back to 1223 when  St. Francis of Assisi decided to act out  a first  dramatization of the birth of Jesus Christ  by introducing new elements, which now for us are essential parts of the Nativity, the ox and the donkey, just to better understand the conditions and the place where Jesus was born. 

The crib in Taranto is often more important than the  Christmas tree so much that there are those who build for themselves and those who rely on a number of workshops which for centuries have  handed down the crib art from generation to generation .

It’s in the tradition  in most parts of the Italian regions to spend Christmas with the family starting from the evening before, on December 24, when we meet for dinner and wait for the  midnight to open the gifts and  go to the Mass

. On Christmas Day we meet  relatives  and friends  for the traditional Christmas  lunch and   we usually spend  the afternoon playing some typical Christmas games like tombola ( bingo), and eating sweets such as panettone, or pandoro.  Antonio Formaro