1 st January New Year’s Day

6 th January The Epiphany

On Epiphany Day, good children receive toys and sweets as presents in their stockings

Bad children receive stockings full of coal as presents.

14 th February St. Valentine’s Day

On St Valentine’s Day people send cards and red roses to loved ones.

The day before Ash Wednesday – Lent Begins Carnival / Pancake Day

At Carinval parties, children dress up as ghosts, vampires, witches princesses or monsters.

8 th March Women’s Day

8 th March On Women’s Day, Italian men give mimosas to women.

17 th March Unification of Italy

17 th March 2011 was a National Holiday. We celebrated the 150 th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy.

19 th March Father’s Day

On Father’s Day Italian people usually eat zeppolas.

In England it’s on the second Sunday in June.

Easter The first Sunday after Lent

On Easter Sunday Italian people eat chocolate eggs.

Easter Monday The first Monday after Lent

Liberation Day 25 th April

It commemorates the liberation of Italy from German troops in the Second World War.

Labour day 1 st May

On 1st May the most important Italian singers and many foreign guest stars perform in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome.

Mother’s Day The Second Sunday of May

On Mother’s Day children write letters to their mothers and give them red roses and presents.

2 nd June Republic Day

2 nd June marks the day in 1946 when Italy voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy and become a Republic.

15 th August Ferragosto/bank holiday

Italian people usually go to the beach and they usually eat watermelon.

31 st October Halloween

At Halloween parties, children dress up as ghosts, vampires, witches and monsters.

1 st November - All Saint’s Day 2 nd November - The Day of the Dead

On All Saint’s Day and The Day of the Dead Italian people usually go to the cemetery to remember their loved ones.

8 th December The Immaculate Conception

24 th December Christmas Eve

In Italy, Christmas lasts from Christmas Eve, on 24 th December, to the feast of the Epiphany, on 6 th January.

On Christmas Eve, Italian people eat fresh fish or seafood.

25 th December Christmas Day

The sweet struffoli, is one of the most famous Neapolitan Christmas sweets. It is made up of small biscuits, covered with honey and candied fruits.

26 th December St. Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day)

The most popular game played is bingo.

31st December New Year’s Eve

Italian people celebrate the coming of the new year with a sweet or dry sparkling wine.

Italian people usually have lentils and boiled pork sausages for dinner.

Italian people wear red underwear for good luck!

Huge midnight fireworks celebrate the coming of the new year.

. Many towns have public music and dancing before the fireworks.