What Is the Feast of Seven Fishes?
In Italian-American households, the Feast of the Seven Fishes (also known as Festa dei Sette Pesci or La Vigilia) is celebrated on December 24. This Christmas Eve celebration kicks off the holiday festivities with a huge dinner consisting of seven courses of fish and seafood.
Where Did the Feast of the Seven Fishes Originate?
This tradition stems from the Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat the day before religious holidays (now skipping meat is mostly reserved for Fridays in Lent). In those earlier days, Italians embraced refraining from meat and celebrated Christmas Eve by pulling out all the stops and incorporating fish into a large meal.
Over time, this over-the-top meal turned into a custom that many Italian-American families look forward to each December. Staffer Nicole Fornabaio’s family is one of them. Here, she offers her tips on how you can celebrate at home with your loved ones.
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Send Invites
If this celebration is new to your family or friends, make it o-fish-al with invitations. Whether you prefer digital or print invites, these notes can give guests a bit of background on the celebration. Save a little postage and slip an invitation in along with your holiday cards.
Taste of Home
Create an Ambience
Because the Feast of the Seven Fishes is traditionally held on Christmas Eve, all you need is your go-to Christmas decor and holiday table decorations. That’s more than festive enough for this party!
Since it’s Christmas Eve, you’ll want to have Christmas music playing in the background. However, you can give a fun nod to the holiday by filling a playlist full of carols sung by Italian-American artists like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Louis Prima.