Holidays in Rome
In the 18th century visitors very often chose to move toward to Rome at xmas. Their stay usually lasted for many weeks and while its initial part coincided with a few of the most sumptuous spiritual ceremonies, its final one was dedicated to more lay matters as the year end celebrations were followed by the then celebrated Roman Carnival.
Each year a particularly tall xmas tree is erected in Piazza S. Pietro : it is located near the obelisk and every year it is donated by a different country. A different tree is erected in Piazza Venezia, which is often considered thevery center of Rome ; trees appear in some of the other historical squares. The dark green of the trees vainly fights to transport a feeling of freezing winters and snowy landscapes. Marbles, travertine, palms, pines and a bright sunshine all conjure up a warmer Mediterranean ambiance. One then understands why these trees don’t belong to the Italian standard way of celebrating xmas.
The 1st crib ( It. Presepio ) is believed to have been prepared by St. Francis in the 1223 Christmas’ night in the monastery of Greccio, a minute town in Middle Italy. The re-enactment of episodes of Jesus’ life wasn’t new as scenes of Christ’s passion were before now part of the ceremonies of the Holy Week. Cribs became extremely popular and in the following centuries the manufacture of the statues and of the countryside elements became a sort of small art. Most of the churches of Rome have terribly complicated cribs which are displayed in the weeks before xmas. To keep alive the custom in less formal strategies in several churches scouts are invited to build and display their personal crib.
during the past, Italian children were given candy and toys for the Epiphany in a re-enactment of the gifts brought to Jesus by the Magi : according to a popular tradition Befana, an old fairy having the side of a witch, fills the socks that youngsters left next to the hearth with toys and candy. Today in a good number families gifts including those to children are exchanged at xmas, but still a sock of candies is usually given at the Epiphany. Disobedient boys could find pieces of black coal instead, but they shortly discover they’re made of sugar.
until the 1950s a puppet theatre with the conventional characters of the Italian comedy was a toy really treasured by most lads and lasses. Nowadays the majority of the puppets basically sold represent TV and movie icons.
At xmas the sun doesn’t get high enough to permit taking footage in the narrow streets of central Rome, but some photos in the archaeological districts get an extra interest from the extended shadows projected by the monuments. You can spot the shadow of Colonna Traiana projected on the buildings behind it. Maybe you can see it from the Appartments Rom.
In the early hours in the morning it could be necessary to dress in a hat and a scarf, but during the day, the sun may lift up the temperature to 15C/60F and it is hot enough for some unplanned foliage to put down roots next to the travertine plants of Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. Begin you Rome tour from an Appartment Rom which you can book at Oh-Holidays.