Christmas in Sardinia between rites, legends and traditions

Sa notte ‘e xena, su truncu, sa miss'e puddu: all the ancient customs of 24 and 25 December on the island

Christmas is just around the corner: after the long transhumance in the mountains, spent in solitude with only their flocks, the shepherds return to the valley, to their homes, to the families who have long been preparing to welcome them and celebrate the arrival of Christmas together. This return marked a fundamental moment not only for the family, but for the entire community, which, finally reunited, could celebrate Sa Notte ‘e Xena, the night of Christmas Eve, in which, unlike today, a frugal meal was consumed.

People prepared themselves physically and spiritually for 25 December, when true abundance would arrive on the table. The pigs reared during the year were slaughtered, and with their meat were prepared the delicacies that would enrich the lunches and dinners of the festive season and beyond. On the evening of 24 December, at the stroke of the midnight bells, families would gather for Sa Miss'e Puddu, the mass announced by the first crowing of the rooster, probably linked to the Missa del gall of Catalan origin. It was a very heartfelt event, where people dressed in their best clothes.

However, it was the home and the hearth that were the real heart of the Sardinian Christmas festivities. Good food and stories were shared around the fireplace: the elders told stories and legends to the children, who enjoyed traditional games such as Sa Murra, Su Barralliccu (a kind of spinning top) and Sa Tombula, the bingo. On the evening of 24 December, the fire in the fireplace was revived with a wooden log, su truncu e'xena, kept specially for the occasion, which was to burn until Epiphany. This fire, which the family undertook to keep burning, was considered a symbol of good luck for health and economic prosperity. A true ritual of unity and sharing.

Today, only a few towns in Sardinia keep these traditions alive, although many customs are still handed down, making Christmas in Sardinia a magical time. In various localities such as Arzachena, Christmas markets abound with stalls selling typical products such as cheeses, cold cuts, wines and sweets.

The festive calendar is full of events: in Berchidda, Gallura, Notte de Chelu is celebrated with the inauguration, on 14 and 15 December, of eight life-size nativity scenes installed in the town's districts. The streets of the historic centre come alive with concerts, tastings of traditional dishes, and local craft markets. The cribs, true works of artistic ingenuity, remain on display from 14 December to 6 January.

The villages of Alta Gallura such as Tempio Pausania, Aggius and Calangianus, perched on the mountains overlooking the north-eastern coast of the island, come alive with enchanting Christmas decorations and lights. Moving on from Gallura, in Olmedo, a bread nativity scene is created in the Romanesque church of Nostra Signora di Talia, with figures of the holy family sculpted in fragrant dough. In Bono, on the other hand, the Presepe in Carrela is celebrated, where the entire town participates in the creation of nativity scenes in the various quarters. A challenge to create the most beautiful nativity scene is also held in the medieval streets of Bosa: children and adults present their creations during Natale a Bosa tra Arte e Tradizione.

The nativity tradition is deeply rooted in Sardinia and linked to the Franciscan world. In the Capuchin monastery in Cagliari, the friars have been setting up a mechanical, simple and intimate nativity scene since 1948, which is very suggestive to visit.