Dear Readers, The winter holiday season is here and all over Italy preparations for the upcoming festivities have started. The official countdown to Christmas is marked by two religious celebrations. Sant'Ambrogio on the 7th of December and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 8th. Patron Saint of the city of Milan, Sant'Ambrogio is celebrated on the 7th of December, a day which marks the beginning of the mountain holiday season on the Alps. Most resorts get ready to welcome skiers and mountain lovers coming from the city who start crowding the slopes for the weekend. The Feast of the Immacolata Concezione  (Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary) on the 8th is a national public holiday. The day is marked with beautiful, elaborate, and emotionally charged processions throughout Italy. With most people off from work, this is also the day when many Italians decorate their homes for Christmas. While the main focus of decorations continues to be the Presepe (Nativity scene or creche), especially for families with young children, schools and churches, Christmas trees have now fully entered the Italian tradition, so many people prepare both. If you haven't decorated your house yet and want to join the many Italians who will spend the weekend getting their home ready for Natale, get yourself a nice Italian Christmas album, Bocelli, Friar Alessandro or Mario Biondi are all excellent options, a good bottle of Italian red wine, a bucket of Italian good taste and 'allegria'  merry spirit! Arrivederci.