Wish I was at home for Christmas

I have to face the truth this time. Though I always claim to be progressive and to reject the bourgeois things of life, I have to admit being very traditional when it comes to Christmas.

I have been looking forward to the 8^th of December, La festa dell´Immacolata Concezione di Maria (Immaculate Conception.. always good for a few discussions).

I really like putting up the Christmas tree and listen to the Weihnachts Oratorium while doing so. As I can not, like my Umbrian friends, have the beautiful medieval colors all around my, I decorate my tree with them.

The best thing is to decorate the Christmas crib. When I was young, my father gave me a very small crib that I still have. A very funny story is, one year, the little Jesus figure was missing from its cradle and I found it under the sofa. I put it back but the next day it was gone again. This went on for three days, until I found my cat Youssef playing with it.

Now I have an Italian handmade nativity set that is very beautiful.

There´s even a huge camel that my Pio was really scared of when he was still a tiny little kitten. He kept hissing and growling at it.

Today, he´s bigger than the camel, so he thinks the crib is his too.

My friend Lucia´s tree (c) Lucia Rufini

But the very best thing about this tradional stuff is the small talk with my Italian friends. I love to see their pics and read their comments. Who thinks that only the English know how to celebrate Christmas has never seen the Italian way of preparing for it.

My friend Lucia is an example of good taste and knows how to make a home.

For more stunning pics you may like to visit her facebookpage 

Sull'albero anche pezzetti di una vecchia collana (c) Lucia Rufini

(c) Hotel Bramante Todi 

And how about the impressive decoration realized by Hotel Bramante? I am certain you will love their blog as much as I do. Click here to enjoy it. No better way to get in the mood.

I am not so traditional that I will cook zampone con lenticchie for Christmas. But the Panettone can not be missed and I always try to make sure that the table matches the colors in the tree.

And next year? I´ll make sure I will be in Umbria. A very merry Christmas to all of you.