Christmas in Italy

SIMPLE LIFE

Natale, or Christmas in Italy taught us many lessons this year. A peaceful Christmas, one without stress, with simple moments and even greater joy. The spirit of Christmas felt alive for me for the first time in many years.

Not about grand gifts or massive meals that take days to recover from. Just about enough….filling our hearts not our stomachs and seeing our children happy with a gift each rather than mountains under the tree.

The true gift of Christmas in Italy I am finding is the gift of time. Sharing this with you all has been a joy with your beautifulLuca found his ‘minions’ in a store window and we had to return to take photos of them all the next day. This is his current love and last Christmas it was ‘Star Wars’. He made little minions to hang on the Christmas tree and I love them.

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Sam had the excellent idea to get the kids a sled for Christmas, we tried it out early and now we are waiting for more snow. Not to be outdone on speed or lunacy Sam then decided he should make a sled from the old ski’s we found. A trip to the local ‘op shop’ and we found a seat for the rocket sled. A few bolts, some blocks of wood and voila….the boys (Claudio and Sam) have gone up the mountain as I type to try it out. I’ll let you know if they come back in one piece. It was met with much head shaking and amusement by the Italians but I bet it will fly!

A few trips to the shops and lots of fun checking everything out, yes these are fireworks and New Years Eve is going to be a blast literally!

The best part of Christmas day was Sam and Carina doing some cooking together, Sam was on the phone to Australia to get the recipe from my Mother in Law for these little Sicilian biscuits. They taste delicious according to the rest of the family…..blahhhh.

Claudio and his family came over in the afternoon and we shared panettone (not for me either) and a few drinks to finish the day. Once the kids were in bed Sam and I sat up and watched a movie called ‘Saving Mr Banks‘ which I highly recommend. Total relaxation…..bliss x

Thank you all for reading along this year and always sending me encouragement, love and your belief in the dream that is Italy…..enjoy Christmas in Italy with us

Without you all our Christmas in Italy would have been less joyful……Buon Natale and here’s to the New Year ahead may it bring you closer to your own dreams xx

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and the gang x

18 replies

Trisha Thomas says:
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I just love the photos of Luca with his minions and Carina with the fireworks. Your kids are so lovely. Thanks for sharing your Italian Christmas, it seemed so special.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  They are great kids and fitting in really well, I never know what the ‘next big thing’ is going to be for Luca, luckily he just adds passions and keeps the old ones like star wars and dinosaurs to add to his Minions xx
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Cathy says:
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Looks like you had a super Christmas in Italy Lisa. The kids look happy and settled. We have had a lovely Christmas Down Under for the first time in many years which has been great. I’ve loved the fact that my kids have got to spend time with their only cousin.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh how wonderful to see your family in Oz and have a summer Christmas. I got to spend last Christmas with my family in Melbourne for the first time in many years and it’s just lovely. Sending love down under lol xxx
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Nina Hansen Machotka says:
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Looks absolutely wonderful, Lisa!! What a great first Christmas back in Italy!
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  It’s been such a lovely way to end the old year and now start the New….sending love Nina and this year we plan to get on the road so hope to catch up with you xx
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Debra Kolkka says:
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I’m glad you had a great Christmas. We had a snowy white Christmas in Finnish Lapland…wonderful.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Now you couldn’t get more Christmas than that Debra, what an incredible experience xxx
  sending love and sounds like your Christmas was perfect xx
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Lisa Wood says:
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I wished I could swap my Christmas Day {week} with yours 🙂 It sounded so very relaxed. I have been madly getting ready for family for about a week leading up to Xmas and then we have been back and Forward from Wollongong to Sydney because I have had to be here for Dave’s Parents. It was a very full on time and I can’t wait to escape with just my boys in our Camper Van 🙂
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh Lisa it was so odd not to have to rush anywhere or visit anyone. We just stayed home, opened presents, called the family, ate our beautiful roast lunch, visited the neighbors and then they visited us. It rained the entire day but we hardly noticed.
  Now it’s time for you to take a break, oh and I loved the news you shouted from the rooftops, how exciting and poetic that you just happened to buy the newspaper!
  Your boys are growing so fast, and into such lovely young men. Luca always asks me when he will be a big man, and will he find a darling which is so sweet.
  Enjoy your time in the campe rvan, we are hoping to buy a cheap one soon and take off next year, xxx
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Wynne says:
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I love the ski-sled! Now that’s a video that would be fun to see. Your Christmas sounds lovely and I’m glad you had a wonderful time. Enjoy a rockin’ New Year’s Eve!! XOXO
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh you’d love the sled Wynne, you know Sam he is always up to something. We took it out for a spin today but the snow was very deep and soft. When I walked it was up over my knees, totally beautiful spot on top of the world. I took photos so will post them later. How is your trip going, hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your Mum. Love to hear how your New Years rocks!!! Sending love and miss our chats xxx
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Evelyn says:
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Wow new boots for Carina! I really like them. My gosh , Carina is growing up before our eyes.
Yeahhh for Luca, just what he wanted. Oh Sam, becareful going down the hill on your fancy sled!! I just laughed when I saw the sled. You should call it “The Bullet”. Your house looks so nice all ready for Christmas. Lucky Sam to call his Mom! When Vlad calls his Mom in Cuba it costs $40.00 for 8 minutes!! Calling cards are $l0.00 for 5 minutes but they manage to waste 3 minutes with the operator! We are going to friends this afternoon for another meal. I will be so glad to get back to the light meals. My poor stomach.
I see you are going to into 2014 with a bang!!! Have fun and Happy New Year from Canada
Evelyn
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  She really is literally growing up and taller then many of the women here at only eleven years old. She loves the boots and wants to wear them everywhere. Luca is happy with his Lego and he is just happy with most everything, a very special dear little boy.
  
  I love the name “the bullet’ it’s very fast and all the kids here now want to have a turn when we get more snow. We use something called ‘freecall’ for our calls to Australia, it’s fantastic and very cheap to run. I talk to her almost every day. I can call through the computer to Mum’s landline and it’s clear and easy to use. My husband set it up as he is good with these things.
  yes we are going into the New Year with a bang and it’s funny as fireworks have been banned in Australia for many years, I remember having them as a child. Hope your New Year is wonderful and we can all get our stomach’s back to normal lol xxx
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Rosie says:
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Buon Natale Carissimi. What a gorgeous pair of boots Carina. You are growing up too quick. Luca, you always bring so much joy. Marco and Cara send you both lots of hugs.
Sam, what can I say! You never let me down with your creativity. Lisa all I can say to you is love you. Hope 2014 brings with it abundant good health, repeated joy and no doubt, heaps of new adventures & memories xxxxx Vince and I send you all much love xxx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Awww Buon Natale to you dearest Rosie, I miss you so much and can’t wait till you can come for an extended visit. Carina is getting tall and talking Italian as if she has lived here her whole life, I haven’t got a clue what she is saying most of the time which she loves. She really is shining here and I love seeing her Italian heritage shining through.
  Luca is getting the hang of Italian and learning more than he lets on, the school is great and very supportive. I think maybe he’ll learn to read in Italian before English. Sammie is in his element here, he totally loves it but worries about an income. We are slowly unlearning our bad habits and bickering less and loving more. Sending you so much love and kisses to Vince Cara and Marco from all of us. xxxx
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Kaye Bonato says:
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Merry Christmas to you all. How lovely to share in your festivities via your words and photos. It looks like a truly wonderful time was had by all. It’s been a great year watching and following along with the renovations, the ups and downs of your first year in your new home……thank you so much for sharing all this…and it helps with my upcoming decision…..do I leave Australia for a life in Italy!! Yes, we are thinking about it. Here comes the New Year and it’s going to be exciting to be able to ignite your own fireworks…….
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Ciao Kaye hope you had a wonderful Christmas. How exciting to be thinking of moving to Italy, if you ever need anything you know you just have to ask and I’ll see what we can do. So much has happened in such a short space of time I can’t wait to see what the New Year brings our way. Sending love and start putting those dreams in place xxx
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