Last updated: October 2026
Christmas in Tuscany is less about shopping and more about church, family and food. A lot of food. It starts early, finishes late, and involves a witch on a broomstick. Here’s how it works.
8 December: it begins
The Immacolata (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) on 8 December is a public holiday, and the traditional day to put up the tree and the nativity scene. Lights go up in the towns, little markets appear, and the season is officially open.
The presepe
The heart of an Italian Christmas isn’t the tree. It’s the presepe, the nativity scene. The tradition goes back to Saint Francis, who set up a living nativity at Greccio, in Lazio, in 1223.
Every church has one, and so do most homes. Some are tiny, on a shelf. Some take up half a room, with hills of moss, little streams, mills, shepherds, sheep, a baker, a washerwoman and a whole village going about its day. Baby Jesus traditionally isn’t put in the manger until Christmas Eve, and the Three Kings creep a little closer every day until 6 January.
Walking round the churches to look at the presepi is a lovely thing to do in December. Pop in, quietly, and leave a coin if there’s a box.
Living nativities
Many villages put on a presepe vivente, a living nativity, with villagers in costume playing out the scene and the old crafts of country life. For many years our own village of Castelvecchio did one on Christmas Eve, and I’ve written about it in my post on the Castelvecchio living nativity. Sadly it no longer runs, but other villages still keep the tradition alive. Look for posters in the bars and on church doors in December.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Christmas Eve (la Vigilia) is a family evening, often ending with midnight mass.
Christmas Day is all about lunch. Long, slow and enormous. In Tuscany you’ll often find:
- Crostini with chicken liver pâté, the classic Tuscan starter.
- Tortellini or cappelletti in brodo, little pasta in a rich broth.
- Roast meats or bollito (boiled meats with green sauce).
- And then the sweets.
26 December (Santo Stefano) is a public holiday too, usually spent eating the leftovers and visiting relatives.
Christmas sweets
- Panettone and pandoro. The tall Christmas cakes from the north, now everywhere. People have firm views on which is better.
- Panforte di Siena IGP. A dense, chewy cake of nuts, honey, candied fruit and spice. Small slices.
- Ricciarelli di Siena IGP. Soft almond biscuits, dusted with icing sugar.
- Cavallucci, chewy Sienese biscuits with nuts and aniseed.
A slice of panforte with a glass of vin santo, by the fire, is my idea of Christmas.
New Year
New Year’s Eve (San Silvestro) means a big dinner, the cenone, and fireworks at midnight. Eat lentils with cotechino (a fat pork sausage) for luck: the lentils look like little coins, so the more you eat, the richer you’ll be. Wear something red for luck too. 1 January is a public holiday.
6 January: the Befana
The season ends with the Epiphany on 6 January, another public holiday. On the night before, the Befana, a kind old witch on a broomstick, flies round filling children’s stockings with sweets. Naughty children get coal (these days, black sugar “coal” that looks the part).
There’s a saying: l’Epifania tutte le feste porta via, “the Epiphany takes all the holidays away”. After that, the decorations come down and life goes back to normal.
Tips for Christmas in Tuscany
- Book ahead for Christmas and New Year. Cities and hotels fill up again.
- Most shops close on 25 and 26 December and 1 January, and many restaurants too. Book Christmas lunch well in advance.
- Buses and trains run reduced services on the holidays. Check before you travel.
- Wrap up. The hills are cold and damp in December. My winter guide has more.
- Say “Buon Natale!” to everyone. Then “Buon anno!” from about 27 December.
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Susan
