Christmas Day in San Marino, a small enclave within Italy, is widely celebrated with great fervor and deep spiritual significance. The festival is not just a one-day event; rather, it marks the beginning of a lengthy holiday season extending from December 24th through January 6th. Christmas in San Marino shares many traditions popular in Italy due to its cultural proximity; however, it retains its unique flavor with customs specific to the Sammarinese people.
The Christmas period in San Marino is characterized by brightly lit streets, liturgical ceremonies, traditional music, and communal festivities. The streets of its hilltop capital, the City of San Marino, are beautifully decorated with spectacular Christmas lights, enthusing both locals and tourists with the spirit of the season. Notably, 'St. Agatha's Advent', a traditional musical event, is held on Christmas Eve, where choirs and bands perform nativity songs, expressing the anticipation of Jesus Christ's birth.
The holiday season in San Marino is further splendid by the range of culinary delights peculiar to this time of year. Traditional Christmas meals include turkey, 'Tortellini in Brodo' (pasta in broth), 'Pandoro' and 'Panettone' (types of sweet bread loaves). A popular custom in San Marino is the 'Urna di San Marino', a sort of Christmas lottery, held on January 5th, the eve of the Epiphany. An integral part of Christmas celebrations is attending the midnight mass on Christmas Eve, reflecting the strong Christian tradition in the country.