Isabella Teti, Editor

What do Lady Gaga, Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone have in common? Yes, they are all actors, but they are also all Italian Americans! Italian American culture is filled with rich history and known for its loud, fun events and occasions. For me, growing up as an Italian American has brought many wonderful traditions and an abundance of love and happiness to my life, especially during the busy holiday season.

Every year my family partakes in many significant traditions that I have always looked forward to, and it has made the Christmas holiday season as special as it is. First, on Christmas Eve my family cooks the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This feast is traditionally an Italian American event that is believed to be linked to the meaning of the number seven in the Catholic Church. The number seven in the Church, with a wide array of importance, could represent the seven Sacraments of the faith, the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, or the Seventh Day of the week, commonly known as The Lord’s Day. 

While there are many different ideas of how and why the Feast of the Seven Fishes came to be, it is still an annual staple in many households. While my family’s menu changes every year, we usually have a mix between seven fish and seafood dishes. This year we will be having baccalà (salted cod), scallops, clams, mussels and linguine, shrimp, crab cakes and tilapia. We try to incorporate all of my family members’ favorite dishes as well as keep some of the seafood dishes, such as baccalà, which would be considered more traditional, a main item for dinner.

After our Christmas Eve meal, my entire family will go to Midnight Mass at our local parish. Growing up Catholic, especially attending Catholic school, it was always a tradition to attend mass on Christmas Eve, but as my younger brother and I started to get older, we started to attend Midnight Mass. This part is not for everyone, as by the end of Christmas Eve, mostly everyone is tired and ready for bed; but I always enjoyed going with my family to mass. For me, it is a special experience to be awake for the early hours of Christmas Day with my family and celebrate the real meaning of the holiday season as a community. 

Fast forward a few weeks after Christmas, on Jan. 5, Epiphany Eve, my family grew up with the folktale of “La Befana,” or the Italian witch. La Befana is an Italian witch who was a kind, old woman who brought little gifts, such as toys, candy or other small items, to the children who had behaved that year. Every Epiphany Eve, I would leave my shoes outside and wake up the next morning to small items in my shoes. I was always taught that La Befana was up at night rewarding the good children and spreading the news that Jesus was the Messiah who would save us all, keeping with the traditional Epiphany teaching. 

Perhaps I have outgrown some traditions, but each of them has created memories that have impacted my holiday season and allowed me to fully appreciate my culture and family. I am grateful for all of the sacrifices that generations of my family endured so that I may be able to celebrate accomplishments and achievements that were simply dreams to my ancestors. I love my Italian American heritage, and while not everyone celebrates exactly the same around the country or even in Italy, it’s what I have grown up with and am proud to celebrate!