Two Parts Italy

Christmas in New Mexico has its own charms

As I write this, I am sitting in my New Mexico condo which is all decorated for Christmas. The tree is up, the mantle is filled with garland and shiny things. A bit of Christmas peeks out from all the nooks and crannies of my place. I am looking forward to a family holiday with my kids and grandkids.

And yet ….. I find myself thinking of all the Christmas time magic that I know is unfolding in Italy.

In Italy, and certainly in Lucca, Christmas is everywhere. It is found in simple door decorations and in enchanting shop windows.

It sparkles overhead along streets strung with lights.

Chiasso Barletti, Lucca. Photo thanks to S. Olson

Christmas can be found in piazzas filled with oversized decorations and artistic trees

(thanks to S. Breedlove, C. LaSpina, and S. Olson for the photos above)

This year, a large Christmas market fills Piazza Napoleone along with a Christmas tree wrapped in gold.

Piazza Napoleone Christmas Market, Lucca. Thanks to S. Breedlove for this photo

A train, full of lights, has appeared in Piazza Anfiteatro where a backdrop of stars paints the buildings in lights.

Piazza Anfiteatro, Lucca. Photo thanks to S. Olson.

In the historic center of Lucca, running daily errands at this time of year involves strolling through the Christmas decorations. And a nighttime walk is truly magic! This year, since I am spending my every-other-year holiday in New Mexico, Lucca at Christmas is coming to me (and to you) through my friends who have kindly sent me lots of photos.

I will catch the spirit in person when I am back in Lucca just after Christmas. Lucky for me that Christmas time in Italy lasts through Epiphany on January 6th!

Casa Antica, on Via San Giorgio, is one of the best places in Lucca to find Christmas decorations. It is also great if just browsing.

Walking through Lucca at night in December is all about the lights. Strings of lights glow overhead along the streets. Trees and oversize ornaments fill the piazzas. A stroll through town on a December evening is pure joy.

Day time brings a different kind of joy. The days are all about popping into shops and gazing into shop windows.

The stores are full of decorations ranging from simple to extravagant. Much as I tell myself that I really don’t need more decorations for my small apartment, it seems that I always find something that I just have to have.

All through the city, shop owners create fanciful window displays that capture the attention of children and adults alike.

Candy shops and gift shops are especially well decorated but jewelry shops, pharmacies, butchers, bakers, and even a woodworking shop have fun window displays.

A temporary exhibit under the loggia in Piazza San Michele has wonderful presepe (nativity scenes) on display along with hand-painted traditional nativity figures for sale. Italian presepe are fascinating and include whole villages of craftsmen, workers, and villagers in detailed settings.

Other shops have draped their doorways in lights and greenery. Chiasso Barletti, a pedestrian alley filled with shops, rolls out the red carpet and decorates all along the passageway.

Ditta Galliani, on Via Roma, sells exquisite housewares. Their spectacular widow displays (below) change weekly during the holiday season. Each one showcases a different collection of holiday china, ceramics, glassware, and ornaments. The ever changing arrangements attract a lot of attention as people stop at the window to admire the latest version. Lots of photos are taken here!

This year I am headed to New Mexico to spend the holidays with my family and Albuquerque friends. I am happy to have experienced all of Lucca’s holiday cheer before I jumped on a plane for Christmas in New Mexico, where the traditions are very different from those in Italy but still wonderful. It will be fun to experience Christmas on two continents this year !

Christmas 2024

Christmas Windows in Lucca, Italy