Božićni običaji u Hrvatskoj i Italiji

Cilj ovog rada je prikazati sličnosti i razlike božićnih običaja dvije susjedne zemlje. S obzirom da oba naroda dobrim dijelom pripadaju mediteranskom kulturnom krugu usporediti će se božićni običaji dvaju susjednih naroda te će se utvrditi međusobni utjecaji i moguća prožimanja njihove tradicijske baštine. Sličnosti u predbožićnim običajima oba naroda uočljive u obilježavanju dana sv. Nikole i njegovog darivanja. Nakon sv. Nikole spominje se sv. Lucija, mučenica iz Sirakuze. Zajednička tradicija oba naroda je i panj badnjak i jaslice. Običaj jaslica vrlo je značajan za talijanski kulturu, možda upravo iz razloga jer je sv. Franjo Asiški 1223 godine u šumi pokraj Greccia postavio jaslice. S obzirom da je malo zapisa o talijanskim običajima vezanim uz Badnjak i Božić usporedba je bila ograničena. Proricanje je također jedna od značajki prisutna u obje vezano za udaju, iako su postupci različiti, kao i proricanje vremenskih prilika u narednoj godini.The meaning of this work is to show the similarities as well as the differences in Christmas traditions between two neighbouring countries. Since both countries belong to the Mediterranean cultural circle the they will be compared for their Christmas traditions and mutual influence of their heritage. Similatities in pre-Christmas period start with St. Nicoholas and his giving away. Following St. Nicholas we have St. Lucy martyr from Syracuse. Commom tradition is also stump and Christmas nativity scene. Custom about nativity scene is very important for Italians since St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 in Greccio made the nativity scene in woods. The comparsion was limited because of very small number of records about italian traditions related to Christmas Eve and Christmas. The fortune telling is also one of the features present in both traditions, and it's related to mariagge, altought the procedures are different as well as the prediction of weather conditions in the upcoming year