Bringing a Little Italy To Your Christmas Holidays 🇮🇹🎄

If you’re dreaming about Italy — or even planning a future trip — one of my favorite ways to bring Italy into the holiday season is through dessert and wine.

You may have seen them stacked in big, festive boxes at the grocery store, but one of my absolute favorite Italian holiday traditions is eating panettone or pandoro.

Panettone is the classic: a lightly sweet, fluffy bread filled with dried fruit (and sometimes chocolate). But my personal favorite is pandoro. It is pure heaven. Light, sweet, and dusted generously with powdered sugar — it honestly gives me the same feeling as making snow angels. There’s just something magical about it.

For Italians, panettone and pandoro are the spirit of Christmas — and there’s really no wrong time to eat them during the holidays. Breakfast? Absolutely. Afternoon snack? Of course. Late-night bite with a glass of red wine? Highly encouraged. Before or after your evening walk? Perfect.

And don’t be shy — you’re meant to cut a nice, thick slice.

If you have a specialty food store near you (or a Fresh Market or Whole Foods), I also highly recommend trying flavored versions like pistachio or chocolate panettone or pandoro. They’re festive, indulgent, and perfect for sharing… or not. 😉

Italian Red Wines I Love During the Holidays 🍷

When it comes to wine, I tend to gravitate toward full-bodied red wines that are still smooth and easy to enjoy — perfect for cozy evenings or gifting to friends and family.

These aren’t holiday-specific wines, but they feel especially right this time of year. I usually shop at Fresh Market and Total Wine because they usually have fantastic Italian selections. When choosing a bottle, look for wines with the DOC blue-and-white band, which indicates quality and origin.

A few Italian reds I love:

• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – elegant, rich, and very drinkable

• Valpolicella Ripasso – from the Veneto region; smooth, deep, and comforting

• Rosso di Montalcino – the younger sibling of Brunello di Montalcino, produced in southern Tuscany, and aged for a shorter period

• Brunello di Montalcino – the splurge bottle; exceptional, complex, and perfect for a special occasion

What’s your favorite Italian dessert or wine?

Wishing you a warm, joyful holiday season filled with good food, good wine, and beautiful moments.

Buon Natale! 🎄✨Merry Christmas!

Italian wine is truly a world of its own, and I’ve been itching to write more about it — from bold reds and crisp proseccos to the regions in Italy where wine tasting feels especially magical. I’ll be sharing more on that soon.

If you're dreaming of Italy, I’d love to help you experience these traditions in person — from holiday desserts to unforgettable wine moments. You can learn more about my Italy trips here.