How to Celebrate an Italian Christmas Fish Feast

By Karissa J. Kilgore

It's the Feast of Seven Fishes, sometimes called La Vigilia—"the vigil" or the wait for the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve, for all Christians, is the culmination of the weeks of Advent spent waiting for the Child of God to be born. Catholic holiday traditions sometimes eschew meat (on Fridays in Lent, for example). With the Feast of Seven Fishes, there's no meat, but there are plenty of fish to celebrate the birth of the Savior.

Cultural Origination

The Italian Christmas Eve tradition of the Feast of Seven Fishes originates more from central- and southern-Italian families. For this reason, not all Italians (or Italian-Americans) practice this tradition. Like most Christmastime traditions, this is about family and being together in celebration. If you're Italian, Italian-American, or just want to try out a new tradition this year, make sure you've got your own family to share the feast with (and "family" doesn't have to mean relatives!).

All-day Fast

Part of the tradition begins at daybreak on Christmas Eve. It's an all-day fast. Some people don't fast entirely but, instead, just don't eat meat (as previously mentioned). Children, the elderly, and those who may have certain dietary requirements or who may suffer adverse affects from not eating all day should consider perhaps eating one or two small meals in lieu of the all-day wait. The fast brings anticipation for the midnight feast and almost guarantees no leftovers.

As you wait to break the fast, you can prepare your fish feast!

Planning: A Lovable La Vigilia Menu

Deciding to try La Vigilia with your family should not be a last-minute decision, particularly if you aren't sure what kinds of fish your family likes (or what you can make!). You will most likely want to begin planning early in December.

Menus for La Vigilia vary greatly—from very traditional, involving hours of detailed preparation; to more contemporary, with varying time commitments. Basically any type of seafood is game for inclusion: fish, eel, clams, scallops, oysters, shrimp, lobster, squid, crab, and any others you can think of. Dishes and preparations vary as much as the seafood, too: have them fried, baked, in soups, bisques, and creams or sauces for pasta.

Before you plan your menu, think about what kinds of fish you and your family already like to eat. Ask children if there are any favorite dishes they would especially like to see. (This is a celebration, so there should be something for everyone to enjoy and there shouldn't be a fight for parents to get their children to clean their plates!) If you have children, this might be an opportunity to expose them to something far from the "norm," so don't be afraid to put calamari on the menu.

Including non-seafood items on your menu might be a good idea, too, just to mix things up. Have cheese and crackers—any kind will do. Set out some fresh apple slices or grapes. Antipasto (minus the pepperoni, salami, and other meats you might normally include) is also a great Italian addition.

By the Numbers

So why seven types of fish? Excellent question. In fact, this is a question that's been asked for years and still doesn't seem to have a definitive answer. There's speculation as to why the number seven is significant—the seven days in the week, the seven Holy Sacraments in the Catholic Church, the seven sins, the seven virtues, the seven days God took to create the earth, the seven days it took Mary and Joseph to reach Bethlehem—but there is no one answer that everyone agrees on.

You might be thinking, "How can I possibly choose just seven dishes? There are so many delicious recipes!" I tend to agree, and, fortunately, so do some of the Italians who practice this tradition. While seven seems to be the most prevalent quantity of fish for La Vigilia, some families serve eleven, twelve, or even thirteen types of fish! So if you're having a really tough time picking just a few recipes, you could expand your menu. Or, if you can, wait till next Christmas Eve to try new ideas!

Okay, so why would some of these Italians choose to do other numbers of fish for their feasts? While these quantities might not be as popularized as seven is for the feast, they're perfectly acceptable. In southern Italy seafood was plentiful so a celebration like this afforded a great opportunity to work many kinds of fish into a single holiday feast. The other numbers, though, commonly serve the following representations: For thirteen, it's the twelve apostles plus Jesus. For twelve, it's either just the twelve apostles or eleven of the apostles (minus Judas, the betrayer) plus Jesus. For eleven, it's the twelve apostles minus Judas (again).

Midnight Feast

After you've fasted all day and prepared all your fish, get ready to experience La Vigilia! Most Catholics wait until after receiving communion at midnight mass to break their fasts. If this isn't part of your Christmas tradition for whatever reason, midnight is the time to eat. Ring in the birth of the Christ child with your Feast of Seven Fishes—or however many fish you decided to make! To make the celebration more special, you might consider having children say a prayer of thanks or explain the significance of the feast itself.

Incorporating traditions into the holidays—whether they're new traditions or old—make family gatherings more meaningful. Food brings people together in happy times, and celebrations like La Vigilia bring happiness to the heart (and stomach!).