Lake Como Christmass 2012

Following is a post I meant to finish by xmas. 

Now I have some wonderful information and photos from the women I met in Como.  Enjoy

Did you ever feel like Christmas celebrated for just one day is not enough? Well, you should come to visit Italy during Christmas season.

Thanks to my new friends in Como I learned more about an Italian Xmas.

In the north of Italy Christmas the Christmas season  traditionally starts  from 8^th of December until 6^th  of January, or the day of the Immaculate Conception to Epiphany, the entire celebrations last for more than three weeks!!!! Italian Christmas customs are a mix of Christian influences and pagan celebrations, developed during the Ancient Roman  Empire.

I had been told about the strolling pipers when I visited Sorrento but did not see one until Rome.   Thanks to our friend in Como, we have a very good photo.  And she tells me the history of the Pifferai:   

Pifferai or fifers  descend from the mountains  playing inviting and characteristic tunes on their bagpipes or “zampogna”, they announce  the celebrations for Christmas going from one house to another.

More of the wonderful lights that cover buildings and streets in every town.

First of all, during this period all  streets  are full of lights and decorations: every city, every town has Christmas street light decorations like candles , tree boughs or simple white lights. 

 While in Como for only 1 1/2 days I had the wonderful fortune to speak with two of the young woman at the tourist offices.  Not knowing they were fiends it was a nice surprise when Victoria (at the train station office) told me she had heard about me.....hmmm   sounds like I might look like a stalker, but if you do not ask questions, you never find out what life in Italy is REALLY like.

So it was a GREAT treat when Victoria allowed me to walk with her to meet her friend Ele at the tourist office in town.      They were very gracious to allow me to tag along while they went to lunch (yes they may have thought I was crazy)  and I learned that their jobs stopped in December and would not start again until the Spring tourist season started.  

See my separate post on New Travel help in Como!