Christmas in July

[MypinchofItaly]

The small municipality of Vagna, in the D’Ossola valley in Piedmont region, celebrates Christmas on the second Sunday of July.

This odd decision was taken in the XVII century to allow families to celebrate Christmas all together. The fathers and the oldest children, then shepherds and woodcutters, were hired during Winter on the other side of the Alps – and it was impossible to pass the mountains until the warmer season.

Even nowadays, if you happen to walk through Vagna in the heat of July, you will see decorated trees, nativity scenes with some cotton snow, and children choirs singing Christmas carols.