Page 15 - Italian American Herald - December 2019

PER I BAMBINI
Buon Natale da Sara!
By Melissa Cannavo-Marino
In Italia Natale
e un periodo molto speciale per bambini ed anche per me! (In Italy Christmas is a
very special time of year for children and also for me!) It has become more common for children to visit Babbo Natale (Santa) but the most treasured times are those spent with la famiglia (the family). This is a time to eat special foods and to walk through the towns and cities together to enjoy the beautiful decorations and presepi (nativity scenes).
One of my most treasured memories of Natale in Italy was when Mamma took me to Roma at Natale and we visited Piazza Navona. Facciamo una passegiata insieme e vi dico quello che abbiamo visto! (Let’s take a walk and I’ll tell you what we saw!) Just before we turned a corner to enter Piazza Navona, I smelled the aroma of le castagne arrostendo (chestnuts roasting). Mamma ha comprato una busta per mangiare (Mamma
bought a bag to eat) and we walked around la piazza. Che bella! (How beautiful!) La Piazza was piena di gente (full of people) and le bancarelle del mercato Natalizio (the stands of the Christmas market ).
Mamma lifted me up to look at all the presepi! It is a tradition to buy new pieces ogni anno (every year). Some presepi are semplici (simple) and some are as big as a room! Mamma and I stopped at many stands and she bought a presepe per la casa nostra (for our house). We sat on the edge of a fountain while she munched on castagne and mi ha lasciato assaggiare (she let me
try) degli struffoli with their sweet taste of honey. Abbiamo ascoltati agli zampongnari (we listened to the bagpipers) play traditional music and although the loud sounds scared me at first it was a special treat.
Like many bambini in Italy today I visited Babbo Natale and also La Befana, who traditionally brings i regali (gifts) to the children on Epifania (Epiphany) This is another holiday celebrated during the Christmas season. Dopo, a casa (After, at home) Mamma and I snuggled up and
The merry-go-round at Christmastime in Piazza Navona.
watched a holiday movie after an exciting and busy day! However you celebrate this season Mamma ed io vi auguriamo Buon Natale! (Mamma and I wish you Merry Christmas.) IAH
La Befana loves talking to the children.
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DECEMBER 2019 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 15
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