Christmas Eve

Forio on 24/12

In winter Ischia becomes a little crib, the days are characterized by sirocco, the west or the north wind, the three prevailing winds that affect the days of the islanders. Nuts, sweet dried figs in the hot sun of summer, the Rococo, a glass of new wine, a dash of nocillo or homemade limoncello, a game of cards in front of the crackling fireplace, the confusion of the bingo family and other still, are the main features of a company that returns its values ​​millennial friendliness, warmth and tradition. Day by day in homes with small gestures remember the great feast of the Nativity, are preparing Christmas trees, gathers moss in the woods for the crib, you decorate the houses and gardens with thousands of lights, the pipers playing old songs, all become good and kind, in the streets of the small villages there is an air of festivity in the evening we meet to chat, play old songs and strum on the floor of one of the few places open. The major festival is nearby, as Leopardi, in his poems, even for Christmas, the day before the party is certainly the most beautiful and exciting. As tradition begins the night of the twenty-four, for the younger one is up all night to play, sing, dance and tell jokes until dawn, when the country wakes up and finds himself suspended in time to repeat rituals and traditions centennial. The beautiful Forio to the West in Ischia Ponte and Ischia Ponte to the east are already awake before dawn, the squares fill in front of the crowded churches for the celebration of the Christmas novena dawn fishermen sell the typical fish, eels, moray eels , molluscs and fish prized for the dinner of Christmas Eve. In Forio immediately after the procession is traditional to eat pasta and beans and garlic prepared by many volunteers who cheer tourists and villagers. So begins a day of rejoicing that will end in the evening after dinner and bingo with Midnight Mass will announce the birth of Jesus and remember the man and the journey still to go.