Winter is such a fantastic time of the year. It’s my favorite season and I just love it. The snow, the chilly air, the color of the sky. Everything is just perfect. Winter is also a season that lends itself fantastically to storytelling, with all that “gathering around the fireplace with hot cocoa” type of atmosphere permeating the air and, indeed, there are many winter stories to tell, from every corner of the world, Italy included. 

From the magical fir trees of Valle d’Aosta in the nights of December,  we’ll pass  to the colder days of January, known in Italy as the Giorni della Merla, and see how they  are celebrated around the country. But now, put on that scarf and hat: we’re starting from the Alps!