I live in Brooklyn.  Sometimes it feels like a curse, but during Christmas, it becomes clearer to me what a blessing it is, making coming to terms with my lengthy commute becomes just a little bit easier.

 

Brooklyn at Christmastime transports you to another era.  Walking through the streets of neighborhoods like Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights, I feel as if I’m walking through Italy in the 1960s.  Lights are strung up on every house in different configurations, each one seemingly more complex and charming than the last.  Hoards of people from all five boroughs and beyond flock to Dyker Heights on the train, by car, or even in buses that have been especially chartered to give tours of the neighborhood’s lights.  

 

Many Americans who celebrate Christmas incorporate lights in their yearly Holiday decorating, but the residents of Dyker Heights take it to another level.  The roots of these opulent displays can be found in the Italian concept of  “Bella Figura”, which the Merriam Webster Dictionary translates to “fine figure : fine appearance or impression”.  Bella Figura is the idea of projecting an image of beauty and grandeur onto an onlooker in order to make a good, lasting impression.  

 

Beyond their artistry, the lights of Dyker Heights are a sort of competition between households to see who can make the best impression.  Common elements of Dyker Heights Christmas lights include the use of vibrantly colored lights in untraditional hues, string lights on many trees and bushes, and light up signs with phrases like “Buon Natale”, Which is Italian for Merry Christmas.  

 

Another popular decoration is to have a “Presepio”, or Nativity Scene, set up on the front lawn. This grouping of sculptures depicts the birth of Jesus, and typically consists of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, The Three Wise Men, Angels, and various animals all backdropped by a manger.  

 

Another key element of an Italian Christmas in Brooklyn is food.  Fish, meats, cheeses, pastas, and baked goods are in abundance.  One Brooklyn staple is La Bella Marketplace, which specializes in Italian imports.  Their cheese section is larger than some other food stores alone, and they make fresh pasta in house daily.  As for baked goods, my favorite spot is Villabate Alba, a Brooklyn classic that features amazing southern Italian pastries, baked goods, and breads. During the Christmas season, crowds of people wait in lines for hours to get an these delicious cookies, pastries, cannoli, and panettone-- a tall, cylindrical sweet bread that typically incorporates raisins, citron, lemon zest, and candied oranges, and is essential to any Italian Christmas celebration.  

From beautiful lights and Presepios to baked goods and scrumptious Italian foods, Brooklyn during the Christmas season has so much to offer, and beautifully preserves the age old traditions of the Italian community.  

I live in Brooklyn.  Sometimes it feels like a curse, but during Christmas, it becomes clearer to me what a blessing it is, making coming to terms with my lengthy commute becomes just a little bit easier.

 

Brooklyn at Christmastime transports you to another era.  Walking through the streets of neighborhoods like Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights, I feel as if I’m walking through Italy in the 1960s.  Lights are strung up on every house in different configurations, each one seemingly more complex and charming than the last.  Hoards of people from all five boroughs and beyond flock to Dyker Heights on the train, by car, or even in buses that have been especially chartered to give tours of the neighborhood’s lights.  

 

Many Americans who celebrate Christmas incorporate lights in their yearly Holiday decorating, but the residents of Dyker Heights take it to another level.  The roots of these opulent displays can be found in the Italian concept of  “Bella Figura”, which the Merriam Webster Dictionary translates to “fine figure : fine appearance or impression”.  Bella Figura is the idea of projecting an image of beauty and grandeur onto an onlooker in order to make a good, lasting impression.  

 

Beyond their artistry, the lights of Dyker Heights are a sort of competition between households to see who can make the best impression.  Common elements of Dyker Heights Christmas lights include the use of vibrantly colored lights in untraditional hues, string lights on many trees and bushes, and light up signs with phrases like “Buon Natale”, Which is Italian for Merry Christmas.  

 

Another popular decoration is to have a “Presepio”, or Nativity Scene, set up on the front lawn. This grouping of sculptures depicts the birth of Jesus, and typically consists of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, The Three Wise Men, Angels, and various animals all backdropped by a manger.  

 

Another key element of an Italian Christmas in Brooklyn is food.  Fish, meats, cheeses, pastas, and baked goods are in abundance.  One Brooklyn staple is La Bella Marketplace, which specializes in Italian imports.  Their cheese section is larger than some other food stores alone, and they make fresh pasta in house daily.  As for baked goods, my favorite spot is Villabate Alba, a Brooklyn classic that features amazing southern Italian pastries, baked goods, and breads. During the Christmas season, crowds of people wait in lines for hours to get an these delicious cookies, pastries, cannoli, and panettone-- a tall, cylindrical sweet bread that typically incorporates raisins, citron, lemon zest, and candied oranges, and is essential to any Italian Christmas celebration.  

From beautiful lights and Presepios to baked goods and scrumptious Italian foods, Brooklyn during the Christmas season has so much to offer, and beautifully preserves the age old traditions of the Italian community.