Pace e gioia! Peace and Joy! Talking about the Holiday Season in Italian

In this post we’ll learn vocabulary and expressions that you can use to talk about the holiday season in Italian. First we’ll learn holiday greetings that you can use for Christmas and Hanukkah. Then we’ll look at vocabulary that you can use to talk about holiday decorations. After that we’ll learn how to talk about gifts and gift giving in Italian. Next we’ll learn how to talk about the holiday spirit. Finally, we’ll learn how to wish people a happy new year in Italian and enjoy the festivities.

If you’d like to learn about how Italians celebrate the Christmas holidays, including La Festa dell’Immacolata Concezione (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception), la Festa dei Sette Pesci (the Feast of the Seven Fishes), L’Epifania (Epiphany), and of course Natale (Christmas) itself, check out this post.

Greetings for the Holiday Season in Italian

The first thing you may want to know how to say is of course Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. Here are some other expressions you can use to wish people well during the holiday season. We’ll come back to how to say happy new year in Italian later.

• Buon Natale!
  Merry Christmas!
• Felice Chanukkah!
  Happy Hanukkah!
• Buone feste!
  Happy Holidays!

• Festeggi il Natale / la Chanukkah?
  Do you celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah?
• Buon periodo natalizio!
  Enjoy the Christmas season!
• Ti auguro di passare un buon mese di dicembre.
  I hope you have a good December.
• Spero che tu possa vedere la famiglia e gli amici.
  I hope you see your friends and family.
• Ti auguro pace, salute e felicità!
  I wish you peace, health, and happiness!
• Ti auguro di ricevere un sacco di regali.
  I hope you get a lot of presents.

Decorations during the Holiday Season in Italian

Lots of people put up decorations (le decorazioni or gli addobbi) this time of year, so you may want to say: l’albero di Natale (Christmas tree), la menorah (menorah), la stella (star), la candela (candle), la campana (bell), le luci natalizie (colorful lights), il presepe (nativity scene), il bambino Gesù (baby Jesus), l’angelo (angel), i Re Magi (three kings), Babbo Natale (Santa Claus), il pupazzo di neve (snowman), la renna (reindeer).

• Questo fine settimana andiamo a comprare un albero di Natale.
  We’re going to buy a Christmas tree this weekend.
• Addobbiamo l’albero di Natale.
  Let’s decorate the Christmas tree.
• Accendiamo la menorah.
  Let’s light the menorah.
• Una menorah ha nove candele.
  A menorah has nine candles.
• La casa è decorata con luci natalizie.
  There are colorful lights on the house.
• Gli addobbi dell’albero di Natale sono molto belli.
  The Christmas tree ornaments are beautiful.
• Facciamo il presepe ogni anno.
  We put up a manger/nativity scene every year.
• La mia famiglia mette le decorazioni per la Chanukkah.
  My family puts up Hanukkah decorations.

Holiday Gifts

Exchanging presents is of course a big part of the holiday season, so you may want to say: il regalo (gift/present), la carta regalo (wrapping paper), il biglietto d’auguri (card).

• Devo comprare regali per un sacco di amici e parenti.
  I have to buy gifts for a lot of friends and relatives.
• Ho un regalo per te.
  I got a present for you.
• Cosa mi hai comprato?
  What did you get for me?
• Apri il regalo.
  Unwrap your present.
• È un regalo fantastico!
  This is a great present!
• Sei molto generoso/a – premuroso/a.
  You’re so generous/thoughtful.
• Adoro questo regalo.
  I love this present.
• Questo regalo l’ho fatto con le mie mani.
  I made this gift for you myself.
• Babbo Natale ha lasciato i regali sotto l’albero.
  Santa Claus left gifts under the Christmas tree.
• Per la Chanukkah riceviamo otto regali.
  We get eight gifts for Hanukkah.

The Spirit of the Holiday Season in Italian

The holiday season means different things to different people.

• Adoro le feste.
  I love the holidays.
• C’è musica natalizia ovunque.
  There is Christmas music everywhere.
• Non vedo l’ora che arrivino le feste.
  I’m looking forward to the holiday.
• Amo il Natale.
  I love Christmas.
• Non vedo l’ora di vedere la mia famiglia per la Chanukkah.
  I’m excited to see my family for Hanukkah.
• Desidero la pace nel mondo.
  I hope for peace on earth.
• Stiamo portando regali alle famiglie povere.
  We’re donating gifts for poor families.
• È importante dare da mangiare ai bisognosi.
  It’s important to give food to the needy.
• Sono grato per la mia famiglia e per i miei amici.
  I’m thankful for my family and friends.

Happy New Year in Italian

Soon enough, the year will come to an end, and people everywhere will drink a toast to the new year. So you’ll want to know how to wish people a happy new year in Italian, and how to talk about all of the festivities.

• Vai a una festa di capodanno?
  Are you going to a New Year’s Eve party?
• Facciamo un cenone con la famiglia e con gli amici.
  We eat a big dinner with family and friends.
• Sto invitando degli amici a una festa.
  I’m inviting friends to a party.
• Felice anno nuovo!
  Happy New Year!
• È mezzanotte, beviamo lo spumante!
  It’s midnight, let’s drink champagne!
• Salute!
  Cheers!
• Pace, salute e felicità nell’anno nuovo!
  Peace, health, and happiness in the new year!
• Quali sono i tuoi propositi per l’anno nuovo?
  What are your New Year’s Resolutions?
• Per l’anno nuovo voglio mettermi in forma.
  I want to get in shape in the new year.
• Per l’anno nuovo voglio imparare una nuova lingua.
  I want to learn a new language in the new year.
• Ti auguro grande successo nell’anno che viene.
  I wish you great success in the new year.
• Ti auguro di essere felice nell’anno che viene.
  I hope you are very happy in the new year.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, we wish you great health and happiness, and a very happy new year in Italian: Felice anno nuovo!

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We hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to talk about the holiday season in Italian and how to wish people a happy new year in Italian. If you’d like to learn more, check out our other posts on Italian language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live Italian lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage. Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work – we can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!

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