{"id":400581,"date":"2024-12-05T20:46:20","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T19:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/?p=400581"},"modified":"2024-12-06T08:32:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T07:32:30","slug":"riti-feste-tradizioni-stranezze-nel-mondo-natale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/en\/riti-feste-tradizioni-stranezze-nel-mondo-natale\/","title":{"rendered":"The shortest day of the year and a lot to celebrate:\nfestivals, traditions and curiosities around the world"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"400581\" class=\"elementor elementor-400581\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3b769791 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3b769791\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-74485adb\" data-id=\"74485adb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bb60a1e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2bb60a1e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-2bb60a1e{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-41ef517f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"41ef517f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8202785\" data-id=\"8202785\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6df97f66 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6df97f66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The shortest day of the year and a lot to celebrate:\nfestivals, traditions and curiosities around the world\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-120c558a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"120c558a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-638928b7\" data-id=\"638928b7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70c0ad6d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"70c0ad6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>December is the month with the highest concentration of festivities all over the world.<\/b><\/p><p><b style=\"font-size: 18px; background-color: transparent; letter-spacing: -0.2px;\">Candle-lit dances, bonfires on frosty nights, dances to drive out demons, gifts in shoes and stockings, midnight dips, typical dishes: there is something for every taste, every belief system, and every<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-49082dc3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"49082dc3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6dc427a3\" data-id=\"6dc427a3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f2460aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6f2460aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400604\" alt=\"CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-fromBritishLibrary&#039;sCollections2013\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013-640x360.jpg 640w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-CharlesDickens-ChristmasCarols-Image-credit-PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrarysCollections2013.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credit: PublicDomain-fromBritishLibrary'sCollections2013<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-30fef7b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"30fef7b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-299afac9\" data-id=\"299afac9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16525c30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"16525c30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-image-395346\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-12x12.png 12w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-70x70.png 70w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elementor\/thumbs\/icone-citazione-q5rsbyw3oewunqatelhxlo2inxt2yafpq5azfik1yg.png 100w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-90x90.png 90w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-170x170.png 170w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione-180x180.png 180w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elementor\/thumbs\/icone-citazione-q5rsbyw3fn5kc4o2itbp6gauggyr7xskjsdy78gly8.png 80w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elementor\/thumbs\/icone-citazione-q5rsbyw2ky027iygfkpvp73zqc0m5pjkfj6bw94jxg.png 10w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elementor\/thumbs\/icone-citazione-q5rsbyw2tprcj4l7bcw44evnxsuxw26plw3d4j7zxo.png 30w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/icone-citazione.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73d3576a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73d3576a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA merry Christmas, Bob! \u2014 said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken,\u00a0 as he clapped him on the back.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you for many a year! I\u2019ll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs this very afternoon, over a Christmas bowl of smoking bishop, Bob! [\u2026]<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old word<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1f4b0e42 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1f4b0e42\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-67c3cf5f\" data-id=\"67c3cf5f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d1dd978 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d1dd978\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is how Charles Dickens ended his short story <\/span><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/A_Christmas_Carol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Christmas Carol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the appearance of the ghosts of Christmases past and future, the cruel and miserly Scrooge is \u2018converted\u2019 and learns that life is worth living with generosity, a smile and empathy.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The story is a harsh critique of the greed of the emerging modern industrial society and a metaphor of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9115c77 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9115c77\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7dd2cde\" data-id=\"7dd2cde\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-deb0546 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"deb0546\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400625\" alt=\"Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-LGBT-Neve-Snow-CelebrantLedWeddingCeremony-Roccavione-Italy-celebrante-spose-SymbolicWedding-celebrant-brides-credit-Yelleyphotography-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credits: Yelleyphotography<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d24245e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d24245e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5566bfd\" data-id=\"5566bfd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ecbbb9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4ecbbb9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As <strong>celebrants<\/strong>, our job is to celebrate life\u2019s significant milestones, and it is vital for us to know about rituals and traditions around the world iso that we can be as inclusive as possible when we create your ceremonies..\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Winter ceremonies, an essential aspect to explore is celebrating the transition from darkness to light, from cold to warmth.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-768ddc1b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"768ddc1b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4c57cc0e\" data-id=\"4c57cc0e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a098cfd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7a098cfd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Let\u2019s start at the beginning!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-17e904c7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"17e904c7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-236f0b08\" data-id=\"236f0b08\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14c240a5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"14c240a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-14c240a5{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5a202795 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5a202795\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4fb562a7\" data-id=\"4fb562a7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24e788 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24e788\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many festivals and celebrations that mark the transition from winter to spring. Here are four important ones..<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Halloween<\/a><\/strong><\/span><b>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, an English term of Scottish origin meaning \u201cthe Eve of All Hallows,\u201d\u00a0 is a holiday of Celtic origin celebrated in several countries, particularly in the English-speaking world, on the evening of 31 October, the eve of All Saints\u2019 Day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thanksgiving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Thanksgiving<\/b><\/a><b>:<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">,<\/span> a national holiday in Canada, the United States, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, celebrated on different dates between October and November.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was first celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in the 17th century to give thanks for the abundance of the harvest. Although historically rooted in religious and cultural traditions, Thanksgiving is also celebrated as a secular holiday.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Advent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Advent<\/b><\/a><\/span><b><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">:<\/span> <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">represents the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity and the period of spiritual preparation for celebrating Christmas and the birth of Jesus. In the Roman Catholic church it corresponds to the four weeks before Christmas and includes the Sundays before Christmas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diwali\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Diwali<\/b><\/a><\/span><b>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">means \u2018chain of lights\u2019 or \u2018row of lighted lamps\u2019 in Sanskrit and is the festival of new beginnings or the festival of lights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It celebrates the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness, and begins with the new moon at the end of October\/beginning of November, on the fifteenth day of the month in the Hindu calendar called Kartik, and lasts for five days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4318532e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4318532e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3bd63a03\" data-id=\"3bd63a03\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a421e11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4a421e11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">In the ancient world<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64666a52 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64666a52\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-23f19838\" data-id=\"23f19838\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f2f50dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5f2f50dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not everyone knows that it was <\/span><b>Pope Julius I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Rome, &#8230; &#8211; Rome, 12 April 352) who set the date of Christmas on 25 December to coincide with the winter solstice, thus superimposing it on the ancient pagan festival of the Sun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Celtic and early Christian tradition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the winter solstice corresponds to Yule, whose name may derive from the Norse hj\u00f3l (\u2018wheel\u2019) and indicates the moment of the solstice when \u2018the wheel of the year is at its lower end and begins to rise\u2019<\/span><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Apagan festival of light and rebirth, it celebrated the god Odin. On the longest night, a large log was lit and left to burn for the next twelve days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To celebrate the victory of light over darkness at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stonehenge\"><b>Stonehenge<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>the Druids<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> performed ancient rituals handed down through the ages.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the oldest winter celebrations is the <\/span><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Saturnalia-Roman-festival\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Roman Saturnalia<\/b><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. From 17 to 23 December, banquets and games were held with an exchange of gifts, called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">strennas<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to celebrate the rebirth of nature. During this period the social order was overturned, slaves did not work and peace reigned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>ancient Egypt <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the god Horus was celebrated, while in <\/span><b>Mexico <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Incas worshipped the god Inti.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>The Greeks <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">celebrated Adonis and Hercules, and the <\/span><b>Aztecs <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">worshipped the gods Huitzilopochtli and Bacab.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>central Italy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, every night from the winter solstice to Epiphany, people lit large fires in the open air, called foconi, to symbolise the return of light and the hope of new life, of spring.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64e8fd3e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64e8fd3e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e2b08b3\" data-id=\"e2b08b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-354eba24 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"354eba24\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">And today?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b8b2908 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b8b2908\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f8c9ecc\" data-id=\"f8c9ecc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bf3ced elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2bf3ced\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_-300x263.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-400633\" alt=\"Cena di Natale - Christmas dinner\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_-300x263.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_-1024x899.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_-768x674.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_-14x12.jpg 14w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com_.decorazioneCenaNatale-Credit-R.Crea_.jpg 1224w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Photo credit: Renata Crea <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f82986c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f82986c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bcb8a93\" data-id=\"bcb8a93\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c08fc50 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c08fc50\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400612\" alt=\"Calze stese per la Befana - Hanging stockings for the Epiphany\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-12x12.png 12w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-70x70.png 70w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-90x90.png 90w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-170x170.png 170w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_-180x180.png 180w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-credit-celebranti.com_.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credit: Celebranti.com<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6a8b522\" data-id=\"6a8b522\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76db6fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"76db6fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-1024x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400613\" alt=\"Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-12x12.png 12w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-70x70.png 70w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-90x90.png 90w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-170x170.png 170w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_-180x180.png 180w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-HeiligeNikolaus-SaintNicholas-credit-celebranti.coms_.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credit: Celebranti.com<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-261a5346 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"261a5346\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-72fe214a\" data-id=\"72fe214a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-151ea38 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"151ea38\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite ethnic, social, cultural and religious differences, winter festivals are characterised by recurrent or specific elements, depending on where they take place. Dances, songs, night lights, plants for good luck, bonfires, puppets, rich food, gifts and magical figures are common in all latitudes. It would be impossible to list all the rituals that take place in every country in the world, so we have chosen just a few.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>December &#8211; January: Hanukkah\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the Festival of Lights, lasts for eight days and its name means \u2018inauguration\u2019 in Hebrew.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the festival that celebrates the re-conquest of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees. Despite the destruction of the Temple, only a jar containing enough oil to keep the lamp burning for one day was saved. However, the miraculous oil lasted and kept the lamp burning for eight days and eight nights.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The festival begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the third month of the civil calendar and the ninth month of the Jewish religious calendar. As darkness falls, the candles of a nine-branched candelabrum are lit, songs are sung and blessings are recited.<\/span><\/p><p><b>13 December: St Lucy\u2019s Day <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luciat\u00e5g<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Swedish)<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lucy of Syracuse is said to have been martyred because she secretly brought food to Christians hiding in the catacombs, lighting her way with a crown of candles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her Saint\u2019s Day is celebrated on 13 December in Sweden, but also in Denmark, Norway, Finland and, since she is the patron saint of Syracuse, in Sicily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A procession of people dressed in white tunics with a red ribbon around their waist, carrying candles and wind chimes, walks through the snow-covered streets. At the head of the procession is the person dressed as Luciawearing a crown of candles, and children are often dressed as elves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>16-24 December: Las Posadas<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Latin America, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Spain celebrate Las Posadas, a holiday derived from the Spanish word posada (\u2018inn\u2019 or \u2018shelter\u2019), which commemorates Mary and Joseph\u2019s search for a place to stop and give birth to Jesus. It lasts nine days, symbolising the nine months of pregnancy. A posada is a re-enactment and takes place in a house where the hosts play the role of innkeepers. Each group holds lit candles and sings verses in turn. Then the hosts open the door and welcome the pilgrims.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>21-22 December: The Festival of T\u014dji\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The winter solstice, or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">T\u014dji <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Japanese, is celebrated in Japan as a time of harmony and balance in the natural sequence of seasons and life.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this time, people take a relaxing bath with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">yuzu <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orange, which is said to have beneficial properties and to fight illness, a ritual that has been practiced for hundreds of years. They also prepare <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">t\u014dji-gayu<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a kind of rice porridge made from adzuki beans, and dishes made from winter squash.<\/span><\/p><p><b>21-22 December: Yalda Festival<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This festival, whose name means <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schab-e Yald\u0101<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (\u2018Night of Birth\u2019) in Persian, is celebrated in Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan on the night of 21-22 December.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The festival originates in Mithraism and celebrates the birth of Mithras, the god of the sun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Families gather and celebrate throughout the night, reciting poems and eating watermelons, pomegranates, dried fruit and red grapes. The fruit is carefully stored in airtight ceramic bowls from the summer harvest. The red colour of the fruit symbolises the dawn sky and rebirth.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><b>21-23 December: Dongzhi Festival\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Vietnam celebrate Dong Zhi, which in Chinese means \u2018winter solstice\u2019, literally \u2018extreme winter\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a traditional festival, dating back to the Han Dynasty, which focuses on the balance between Yin, the negative qualities of darkness and cold, and Yang, the positive qualities of light and warmth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once associated with the end of the harvest, the festival now brings families together to worship the sky and ancestors. Tangyuan, balls of pink and white glutinous rice flour, are made to symbolise reunion.<\/span><\/p><p><b>21-25 December: Pancha Ganapati<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hindu festival in honour of the god Ganesha, patron of wisdom, science and the arts. Since Ganesha is also considered the god of beginnings, this holiday encourages letting go of old mistakes and instills the strength to make new beginnings.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Families gather, gifts are distributed and children are the centre of attention.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each day has its own colour: the first is yellow and family members analyse their misbehaviour and make peace; the second is blue and reconciliation extends to neighbours and friends; the third is red and is linked to harmony in business relations; the fourth day is green and is dedicated to art, singing, music and dancing. The last day is orange and is dedicated to harmony and good intentions.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-79d3be14 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"79d3be14\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1ad2d494\" data-id=\"1ad2d494\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6473fbf4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6473fbf4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Saints, demons, good and bad witches \n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72d9d8a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"72d9d8a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0e01ace\" data-id=\"0e01ace\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b2d6e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7b2d6e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-1024x585.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400617\" alt=\"Befana\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-Befana.jpg 1792w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credits: Celebranti.com<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6127b4e8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6127b4e8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5aeef50d\" data-id=\"5aeef50d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7698c17f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7698c17f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>St Nicholas<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saint Nicholas of Bari is considered in Italy the patron saint of children. His Saint\u2019s Day is on 6 December. In Germany on the eve of 6 December, children leave their shoes outside the door or at the foot of their beds and St Nicholas, who arrives on his donkey, fills them with sweets and small gifts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>Krampus<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hideous, hairy creature, he is said to be a servant of Saint Nicholas or even the demon he imprisoned. He arrives on the 5 December. or together with St Nicholas. to scare children who have misbehaved, leaving a lump of coal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>The Befana<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the popular imagination, the Befana is a little old lady with a long nose and a pointed chin who rides a broomstick from house to house, filling children&#8217;s stockings with sweets and small gifts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This tradition goes back centuries and its roots lie in pre-Christian magical traditions. The term \u2018befana\u2019 comes from the Greek word \u2018epiphany\u2019, and she is celebrated on the Epiphany, which is 6 January.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><b>Witches without brooms<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Norway, it is believed that witches and evil spirits roam the skies on Christmas Eve, so people hide brooms in their houses to keep them out of the hands of witches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3e3f6cc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3e3f6cc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-db40700\" data-id=\"db40700\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cd6d3b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3cd6d3b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400621\" alt=\"Celebranti.com-fal\u00f2-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-falo-inverno-Winter-fire-credit-celebranti.com_-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credits: Celebranti.com<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-dde52c6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"dde52c6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5432017f\" data-id=\"5432017f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17925cc4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"17925cc4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">More weird winter traditions!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4969fd57 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4969fd57\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a05e018\" data-id=\"a05e018\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4776a657 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4776a657\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Japan: Christmas cakes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> decorated with Santa Claus and Christmas trees are eaten, and it has become a tradition to order fast food on Christmas Eve, especially fried chicken from Kentucky Fried Chicken.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Australia: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no frost or snow at Christmas in the southern hemisphere, so many families spend Christmas on the beach, with picnics and barbecues.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Germany: The Advent calendar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a purely German invention, dating from around 1920. Many families make calendars with 24 windows, and from the first to 24th December, one window is opened each day to reveal a surprise &#8211; chocolates or small gifts.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Brighton: Burning the Clocks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an atmospheric torchlight procession through the streets of the city, with people carrying handmade paper lanterns depicting clocks. At the end of the procession, a huge bonfire is lit on the beach and everyone throws their lantern into the fire as if to exorcise the passing of time.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Romania: Ursul, the bear dance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On New Year\u2019s Eve,\u00a0 people dressed as bears dance and somersault through the streets to flute music.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tibet:<\/b> <b>Losar <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">literally means New Year and is the most important event of the year. It commemorates the struggle between good and evil, and Tibetans sing and dance in the streets. The celebrations last for two weeks, during which a special fermented drink called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chhaang <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is consumed.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Oaxaca, Mexico: The Night of the Radishes <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">begins on 23 December. It is a three-day festival dedicated to carved vegetables and everyone flocks to admire the beautifully-carved radishes representing Nativity and scenes from Mexican folklore.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wales: Lwyd Mari, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the festival of the grey sea. A horse\u2019s skull attached to a white dress is carried from house to house, accompanied by singing. The group and the \u2018horse\u2019 are invited into homes to drink beer and eat traditional sweets.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ireland and England: Christmas cake, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">originally a simple plum pudding, was eaten after a day of religious fasting. By the 16th century, richer ingredients such as flour, eggs and spices, brought from the East, were added to the cake to symbolise the Three Kings. It is prepared in November and eaten on Christmas Day. Traditionally, a silver sixpence and other surprises were hidden inside the dough and then cooked into the cake.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Maryland: The Polar Bear Plunge <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">takes place in January and involves more than ten thousand people. Dressed in bathing suits, these daredevils plunge into the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, where the temperature is usually around -1\u00b0C.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4d4f3b4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4d4f3b4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-no-translation=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-648ed35\" data-id=\"648ed35\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-107d5e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"107d5e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Dinner for one!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60eb20f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60eb20f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ed38b28\" data-id=\"ed38b28\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9ef04e2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9ef04e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-DinnerForOne.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400626\" alt=\"una scena del film Dinner for one - a scene from the film Dinner for One\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-DinnerForOne.png 512w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-DinnerForOne-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-DinnerForOne-18x10.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">una scena del film Dinner for one - a scene from the film Dinner for One <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e35cb3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e35cb3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fe55b82\" data-id=\"fe55b82\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d403a94 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d403a94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as The 90th Birthday (German: Der 90. Geburtstag, Swedish: Grevinnan och betj\u00e4nten), is a television comedy broadcast every New Year&#8217;s Eve in several European countries, including Norway and Germany.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The piece was written for the theatre in the 1920s by the British writer Lauri Wylie, and it was first performed in 1948 at the Duke of York\u2019s Theatre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The story is hilarious: the noblewoman, Miss Sophie, celebrates her 90th birthday, convinced that all her closest friends, who are in fact long dead, are sitting at the table with her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order not to disappoint her and to make her happy, the waiter James impersonates each of the guests, toasting each dish over and over again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the meal progresses, James gets drunker and drunker and the sketch gets funnier and funnier until the surprise ending.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1962, German broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) recorded the show, starring British comedians Freddie Frinton and May Warden, and produced a short. Although the play originated in the UK, the television version never became popular there, whereas in Germany and Northern Europe for decades families have gathered around the television before New Year\u2019s Eve dinner to laugh at James and Miss Sophie\u2019s gags over and over again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And just for fun, we asked AI to create some images for our article, including a romantic December wedding ceremony setting.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wouldn\u2019t you all like to be invited to a wedding in a place like this?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We would be very happy to celebrate it!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-170cb1a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"170cb1a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-678a59c\" data-id=\"678a59c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b854c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4b854c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x585.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-400596\" alt=\"location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/celebranti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Celebranti.com-location-venue-WinterWedding-NozzeInInverno-Inverno-Winter-Snow-neve-credit-celebranti.com_.jpg 1792w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">photo credits: Celebranti.com<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nel mondo il mese di dicembre \u00e8 il mese pi\u00f9 ricco di feste.<br \/>\nDanze di luci, fal\u00f2 nelle notti gelide, balli per scacciare i demoni, regali nelle scarpe e nelle calze, tuffi di mezzanotte, piatti tipici: ce n&#8217;\u00e8 per tutti i gusti, per tutti i credo, per tutti i valori, e per tutte le tasche. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":400600,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[148,8420],"tags":[9255,9254,9253,9257,9259,9262,9258,9260,9251,9252,9256,9261],"class_list":["post-400581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebranti","category-cerimonie","tag-babbo-natale","tag-befana","tag-celebrazioni-natalizie","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-celebrations","tag-christmas-in-antiquity","tag-christmas-in-the-world","tag-hag","tag-natale","tag-natale-nel-mondo","tag-natale-nellantichita","tag-santa-claus"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>La notte pi\u00f9 lunga dell\u2019anno. 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