Feast of Seven Fishes

[Varmint Hunter]

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate the FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES, a tradition that started in Italy decades ago. In the early 20th century millions of Italians immigrated to the United States. My ancestors all came through Ellis Island in NY Harbor. With them came many fine Italian traditions.

My wife becomes a slave to the stove for about two days preparing all the food and several delicacies. This year we will have lobster tails, scallops, clams on the 1/2 shell, calamari, black mussels, oysters, and shrimp. Naturally, a huge bowl of pasta and the best Italian bread is always included.

It's like a seaside Thanksgiving for us. My daughter is making a picture Christmas Martinis to get everyone started. Wine has been imported and shipped directly to the house, which is always served with dinner. We typically end the evening with a little Limoncello, but I added a nice bottle of Choclate Bailys to round things out.

The best part of all - the entire family will all be here together again. The Lord has blessed us with good health, and few things are more important than the time we spend together.

Merry Christmas to all my friends here on LRH. May you all experience the joys of Christmas and have a happy & healthy New Year.

Charlie

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate the FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES, a tradition that started in Italy decades ago. In the early 20th century millions of Italians immigrated to the United States. My ancestors all came through Ellis Island in NY Harbor. With them came many fine Italian traditions.

My wife becomes a slave to the stove for about two days preparing all the food and several delicacies. This year we will have lobster tails, scallops, clams on the 1/2 shell, calamari, black mussels, oysters, and shrimp. Naturally, a huge bowl of pasta and the best Italian bread is always included.

It's like a seaside Thanksgiving for us. My daughter is making a picture Christmas Martinis to get everyone started. Wine has been imported and shipped directly to the house, which is always served with dinner. We typically end the evening with a little Limoncello, but I added a nice bottle of Choclate Bailys to round things out.

The best part of all - the entire family will all be here together again. The Lord has blessed us with good health, and few things are more important than the time we spend together.

Merry Christmas to all my friends here on LRH. May you all experience the joys of Christmas and have a happy & healthy New Year.

Charlie

Charlie
God Bless you and your family. Really great to see you carrying on the family traditions. Not many families continue the traditions from old.
Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy Prosperous New Year!
Len & Jill

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Charlie
God Bless you and your family. Relly great to see you carrying on the family traditions. Not many families continue the traditions from old.
Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy Prosperous New Year!
Len & Jill

Thank you, Len. All the best to you and the family as well.

 

[epags]

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate the FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES, a tradition that started in Italy decades ago. In the early 20th century millions of Italians immigrated to the United States. My ancestors all came through Ellis Island in NY Harbor. With them came many fine Italian traditions.

My wife becomes a slave to the stove for about two days preparing all the food and several delicacies. This year we will have lobster tails, scallops, clams on the 1/2 shell, calamari, black mussels, oysters, and shrimp. Naturally, a huge bowl of pasta and the best Italian bread is always included.

It's like a seaside Thanksgiving for us. My daughter is making a picture Christmas Martinis to get everyone started. Wine has been imported and shipped directly to the house, which is always served with dinner. We typically end the evening with a little Limoncello, but I added a nice bottle of Choclate Bailys to round things out.

The best part of all - the entire family will all be here together again. The Lord has blessed us with good health, and few things are more important than the time we spend together.

Merry Christmas to all my friends here on LRH. May you all experience the joys of Christmas and have a happy & healthy New Year.

Charlie

Italian, first generation American, father from Bosconero, It., I was assigned to NATO (Naples, It). Never was aware of the Feast of Seven Fishes......wish I had. Sounds wonderful.
Merry Christmas! Spouse says I am getting a bag of coal.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Italian, first generation American, father from Bosconero, It., I was assigned to NATO (Naples, It). Never was aware of the Feast of Seven Fishes......wish I had. Sounds wonderful.
Merry Christmas! Spouse says I am getting a bag of coal.

The term FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES is more Italian-American and is used here in the USA as Italian immigrants assimilated into American culture. In Italy, the feast is referred to as 'La Vigilia' and is a simple reference to Christmas eve.

 

[epags]

The term FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES is more Italian-American and is used here in the USA as Italian immigrants assimilated into American culture. In Italy, the feast is referred to as 'La Vigilia' and is a simple reference to Christmas eve.

Thank you for the explanation. Never experienced it as a kid.
During my military career, I remember walking the streets of Naples during the holiday season and there would be troughs of water with live eels for sale......and of course coal for us bad boys. LOL.

 

[dmj]

Charlie,
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Glad you are able to get together with your family. Have a great day.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

We missed our traditional Christmas Eve Dinner due to some health issues.
Our Slovak Dinner was comprised of Smoked Fish-Hearing, Homemade Smoked Kielbasa (pork & beef, venison), Pierogies (Potatoe), Ba Bal Key (bread balls in sauerkraut covered with honey), Smoked Ham, AND the BEST was home made Mushroom Soup made with water, onions, flower, and handpicked & dried "Pa Pinkey Mushrooms" that only come out it the fall around fallen trees. You pick them and then take a needle and thread and "String" the mushrooms together to dry them out. Then at Christmas time put them into the pot with water, onions, and you have to slightly burn the flower in a pan for the brown color. BEST Tasting Soup in the WORLD.
And of course lots of pastries/deserts!!!

God Bless and everyone enjoy the Birth of Christ with your families!!!!!

 

[ButterBean]

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate the FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES, a tradition that started in Italy decades ago. In the early 20th century millions of Italians immigrated to the United States. My ancestors all came through Ellis Island in NY Harbor. With them came many fine Italian traditions.

My wife becomes a slave to the stove for about two days preparing all the food and several delicacies. This year we will have lobster tails, scallops, clams on the 1/2 shell, calamari, black mussels, oysters, and shrimp. Naturally, a huge bowl of pasta and the best Italian bread is always included.

It's like a seaside Thanksgiving for us. My daughter is making a picture Christmas Martinis to get everyone started. Wine has been imported and shipped directly to the house, which is always served with dinner. We typically end the evening with a little Limoncello, but I added a nice bottle of Choclate Bailys to round things out.

The best part of all - the entire family will all be here together again. The Lord has blessed us with good health, and few things are more important than the time we spend together.

Merry Christmas to all my friends here on LRH. May you all experience the joys of Christmas and have a happy & healthy New Year.

Charlie

Please let me know what time to be there next year

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Bean,

Hors d'oeuvers are normally set out at 4pm. Dinner is at 6pm but mama is always running late. LOl
Put it on your calendar and we will set out an extra place setting for 2024.

Buon Natale

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Every Christmas Eve we celebrate the FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES, a tradition that started in Italy decades ago. In the early 20th century millions of Italians immigrated to the United States. My ancestors all came through Ellis Island in NY Harbor. With them came many fine Italian traditions.

My wife becomes a slave to the stove for about two days preparing all the food and several delicacies. This year we will have lobster tails, scallops, clams on the 1/2 shell, calamari, black mussels, oysters, and shrimp. Naturally, a huge bowl of pasta and the best Italian bread is always included.

It's like a seaside Thanksgiving for us. My daughter is making a picture Christmas Martinis to get everyone started. Wine has been imported and shipped directly to the house, which is always served with dinner. We typically end the evening with a little Limoncello, but I added a nice bottle of Choclate Bailys to round things out.

The best part of all - the entire family will all be here together again. The Lord has blessed us with good health, and few things are more important than the time we spend together.

Merry Christmas to all my friends here on LRH. May you all experience the joys of Christmas and have a happy & healthy New Year.

Charlie

 

[ButterBean]

Bean,

Hors d'oeuvers are normally set out at 4pm. Dinner is at 6pm but mama is always running late. LOl
Put it on your calendar and we will set out an extra place setting for 2024.

Buon Natale

Thank You Sir, Merry Christmas to you and yours

 

[comfisherman]

Not Italian, my ancestors didn't really save any traditions from the old country so its a foreign concept to me.

But as a commercial fisherman, I'm grateful you support eating some kind of fish....

Merry Christmas to all.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Phil - somehow, I knew you'd relate to my post. LOL

Buon Natale