Christmas in Italy is enchanting. Cold days and even colder nights bring out shoppers and strollers wrapped in colorful scarves, hats, and, in many cases, fur coats. Here in Lucca the streets and squares are strung with lights and filled with greens. Even the smallest alley glows with Christmas magic.

Shop windows are magical at this time of year, decorated with holiday goodies and winter scenes.

Christmas trees fill shops and squares. Small trees, decorated with white bows, line the street on which I live. Between the trees and the overhead lights, walking along my Via Mordini is beautiful day or night.

Greens are everywhere - wreaths and swags and clusters of mistletoe – they cheer up doorways, fill restaurants, and make a beautiful sight against the stone walls of the buildings in this Medieval city.

There are also Christmas concerts and carolers and, from the shops, mostly American music (an unexpected sound and a surprise to me).  Piazza Napoleone is holiday central with its outdoor Christmas market, ice skating rink, and lighted sculptural tree.  Even the carousel is decked out for Christmas. 

Foods are another important part of the season.

Chocolates, biscotti, nuts, pandoro and panettone all make for interesting shop displays.  

While the traditional panettone is made with dried fruit, this pistacchio version sounds delicious! 

There is much to see, taste, smell, hear and experience, and all of it is new to me on this, my first Italian Christmas. As I walked through town the other evening, admiring all the lights and activity, all of my senses were tuned to Christmas. And I was joyful.  -Post by JMB

From both of us at Two Parts Italy, we wish you joy wherever you may be this holiday season.

Buon Natale.  Buone Feste.

Merry Christmas.  Happy Holidays.                                             

A pretty window in Piazza San Salvatore, Lucca