L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025 L'Italo-Americano C hristmas in Italy often makes us t h i n k a b o u t i m a g e s o f c r o w d e d m a r - kets in the Alps or the bright displays of major cities, but t h e p r o v i n c e o f R i e t i offers a very different experi- ence. In this corner of the central Apennines, Advent is the realm of a long Fran- c i s c a n t r a d i t i o n t h a t places the Nativity at the c e n t e r o f t h e s e a s o n . T h e routes are small, the events m o d e s t i n s c a l e , a n d t h e atmosphere defined less by tourism and more by a deep sense of community. Three towns in particular, Collalto S a b i n o , L e o n e s s a a n d Greccio, show how Christ- mas can look like in places that may not appear in inter- national travel guides too often, but preserve special ways of celebrating. The Reatino is a land- scape of valleys, hilltop vil- lages and winter snow; it lies i n a p a r t o f L a z i o t h a t i s closely connected to the life of Saint Francis, whose p r e s e n c e i n t h e a r e a i s marked by a ring of sanctu- aries at Greccio, La Foresta, Fonte Colombo and Poggio Bustone. Needless to say, t h i s r e l i g i o u s g e o g r a p h y gives the region a natural link to Christmas traditions, especially those involving the Nativity. During Advent, sev- eral towns organize small m a r k e t s , e x h i b i t i o n s a n d processions, usually concen- trated around a main square or a historic church. Con- trarily to seasonal events in larger cities or the famous A l p i n e m a r k e t s o f A l t o Adige, which usually last for t h e w h o l e f e s t i v e s e a s o n , everything here last only a few days and rely on local associations for their organi- zation, which gives all an entirely different scale and rhythm. Collalto Sabino is a for- tified medieval village recog- nized among the Borghi più Belli d'Italia, and its Christ- m a s s e a s o n e a s i l y s h o w s what we mean. High up on its hill and surrounded by stone walls, Collalto looks much as it did centuries ago, but for six days between late November and early Decem- ber it becomes the Paese di Babbo Natale, the Village o f S a n t a C l a u s . P l e n t y o f s u c h e v e n t s a r o u n d t h e world, you may say, but this o n e i s s p e c i a l : t h e i d e a began roughly a decade ago and, instead of constructing a separate venue or a theme park, residents use the exist- ing structure of the village itself: narrow lanes, small s q u a r e s a n d o l d c e l l a r s b e c o m e s p a c e s f o r w o r k - shops, craft stalls and chil- dren's activities. The house of Santa Claus is set up in the historic center, staffed by local volunteers who wel- come people and organize simple activities. For visi- tors, especially those coming from abroad, the appeal lies in the fact that the whole vil- lage – a beautiful medieval one – willingly and creative- ly adapts to a seasonal tradi- tion, in its own way and at its own pace, which makes f o r a n i n c r e d i b l y u n i q u e experience, especially if you have children. Leonessa offers a differ- ent setting: located almost a thousand meters above sea level at the foot of Monte T e r m i n i l l o , it is a town defined by its arcaded cen- tral square, colored facades and frequent winter snow- falls; its Christmas program u s u a l l y r u n s f r o m e a r l y December until Epiphany and includes the lighting of the town center, small mar- kets, cultural activities, film evenings and events for chil- dren. One of the focal points is the display of Nativity scenes set up in the church of San Francesco, curated by local parish groups, while associations active through- out the year, including cul- tural collectives and youth organizations, add concerts, r e a d i n g s a n d w o r k s h o p s . The result is a lively calen- dar shaped by residents and not by the needs of tourism, even though people do come from nearby regions, often combining a visit with win- ter activities on Terminillo (you can ski there!). Greccio is the most his- torically significant of the three towns, and arguably one of the most important Christmas locations in Italy. According to tradi- tion, it was here that Saint Francis organized the f i r s t l i v i n g N a t i v i t y scene in 1223. Wanting to focus attention on the birth of Jesus rather than on the m a t e r i a l h a b i t s t h a t h a d developed around the holi- day, Francis arranged a sim- p l e r e e n a c t m e n t w i t h a manger, an ox and a donkey inside a cave near the vil- l a g e . T h a t e v e n t b e c a m e widely known and eventual- ly influenced Christmas tra- d i t i o n s a c r o s s E u r o p e . Today, Greccio preserves this connection through the sanctuary dedicated to Fran- cis, built into the rock above the village, and through a series of events that make the town a center for Nativi- ty displays. During Advent and the h o l i d a y p e r i o d , t h e t o w n hosts the National Nativi- ty and Craft Exhibition, which brings artisans from across Italy to display hand- crafted figures and scenes. I n s t a l l a t i o n s a p p e a r throughout the village, turn- ing it into what residents call a "Nativity town," where representations of the birth of Jesus are placed along streets, in courtyards and in s m a l l r o o m s t h a t r e m a i n open throughout the day. The museum in the sanctu- ary houses an extensive col- lection of Nativity displays from different parts of the w o r l d , s h o w i n g h o w t h e Franciscan model has been a d a p t e d a c r o s s c u l t u r e s . Greccio's interpretation of Christmas is deliberately f o c u s e d o n t h e N a t i v i t y rather than on commercial elements, in a deeply spiri- tual nod to the historical m e s s a g e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h Francis himself. More than a shared aes- thetic, what connects these t h r e e t o w n s i s a s h a r e d scale: Christmas here is built from small actions – lights across a single piazza, a vol- unteer greeting visitors at a stall, a parish organizing an exhibition – and not from large installations or major t o u r i s t c a m p a i g n s ; h e r e , local identity remains visi- ble, and it's the residents with their rhythms, deci- sions and work, that make the period alive. For visitors, these towns offer an alterna- t i v e t o t h e m o r e f a m o u s Christmas destinations of n o r t h e r n I t a l y a n d a r e absolutely worth a visit; it's true, reaching them usually requires a car, some plan- ning and an interest in dis- covering smaller places, but the reward is priceless, it's Christmas at its most essen- tial and most beautiful. In this part of the Reati- no, Christmas means spiri- tuality and stillness; prayer, smiles and a sense of home. Collalto Sabino turns into a small Santa Claus village w i t h o u t c h a n g i n g i t s medieval character; Leones- sa uses its snow-covered set- ting and its central square to create gatherings for resi- d e n t s a n d v i s i t o r s a l i k e ; Greccio continues to present t h e N a t i v i t y i n w a y s t h a t recall its very own origins. Together, they create a per- f e c t a l t e r n a t i v e r o u t e t o more classic Christmas itin- eraries, while reflecting a l o n g I t a l i a n t r a d i t i o n o f a d a p t i n g c e l e b r a t i o n s t o l o c a l e n v i r o n m e n t s . F o r those who have already vis- ited Rome or the major art cities during the holidays, t h e s e s m a l l e r l o c a t i o n s w o u l d g i v e t h e p e r f e c t chance to see how central Italy maintains its own ver- s i o n o f C h r i s t m a s , o n e defined by landscape, histo- ry and relationships. GIULIA FRANCESCHINI Christmastime in Greccio (Photo: Claudio Balducelli/Dreamstime) The secret Christmas villages of the Reatine Hills ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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