Are you curious to know more about them?
In the Sardinian tradition, Christmas Day has always been a special occasion to go to Mass, gather the family, and have meals together. In the past, this was the only day when the tables were full of delicious food, escaping for once the frugal life of the rest of the year. The menu of the day of celebration included the bread, maybe made in a special form, cheese, roast meat, especially lamb or pork, sweets and wine.
The night before, called nott’e xena, people gathered around the fireplace at the home of a family member, here a big log (su truncu de xena) was put to burn and it had to last for the entire Christmas period. Children and teenagers played together with brothers and cousins, like nowaday, especially with spinning tops, waiting for Baby Jesus that would bring them simple gifts, such as nuts and oranges.
Various legends are connected to Sa Paschixedda, (‘Christmas Day’ in campidanese dialect), for example in the Logudoro area people believed that those who were born on that night, could preserve from misfortune 7 houses in the neighborhood or in some villages of Campidano. These people had the distinction of not losing teeth and hair during the life and maintain the body intact, even after death.
As for today, some towns host live and itinerant nativities, fairs, Christmas markets; the Midnight Mass (known as Sa Missa e’ Puddu), in few villages, is celebrated in Sardinian language and liturgical hymns are invoked for the birth of Jesus Christ.
Some Christmas spots
In Cagliari you can buy gifts in the markets, participate in tastings or you can visit craft fairs, also in Iglesias (CI) a Christmas market will be organized.
At the exhibition center of Cagliari, you can admire the Christmas Fair, scheduled for 12th to 23th December.
A live nativity will be staged in Bonnanaro (SS) next December 24th, while for New Year’s Eve a concert with famous Italian singers will create a unique atmosphere in Olbia (OT).
I bet you do not get bored at all!
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