By Dianne Hales

You can find bigger Christmas trees and more extravagant decorations in the United States, but nothing looks, tastes, feels or sounds like la stagione natalizia (Christmas season) in Italy. With roots in the "Saturnalia," the winter solstice rites of ancient Rome, and Christian commemorations of the birth of Gesù Bambino (Baby Jesus), the Italian holidays blend religious and pagan festivities that light up the darkest of nights.

In Rome and southern Italy, the traditional sound of Christmas is the music of bagpipes and flutes played by shepherds from the region of Abruzzo. According to legend, shepherds entertained the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem with their simple instruments. In the past zampognari (bagpipe players), wearing shaggy sheepskin vests, felt hats and crisscrossed leather leggings,came to Rome weeks before Christmas to play in churches.

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Fonte: L'italo-Americano