The Duomo dazzled the eyes and hearts of the Florentine community tonight as Mayor Renzi lit the Duomo's first-ever Christmas tree, on this feast day of the Immaculate Conception. Preceding the lighting ceremony were festivities and music and the spectacluar traditional flag throwing parade with noble Florentine families clad in medieval costumes. Children and elders alike were awestruck by the spectacle. It was quite an emotional ceremony that brought tears to my eyes.
Florence is alive with Christmas fairs and concerts, musicians are in the streets playing violins and accordions. Singers burst out into song unexpectedly, the smell of smoky chestnuts fills the air and lights are strung all throughout the city, making Florence more stunning than ever.Coming home from the festivities I bought a cute Charlie Brown Christmas tree and started shopping for ornaments and a presepie among the cheery crowds.
After two years of settling in, I am really feeling and living the rhythm of the holiday season, rejeuvanating some old traditions and learning and adopting some new ones.
