In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Sardinia, when industry had not yet replaced agriculture and stockbreeding, Christmas was an important period of social cohesion, an occasion to restore the integrity of the family unit, often temporarily shattered by the ties of men's transhumance to the pastures or the countryside.
Christmas in Sardinia is not just a holiday: it is the festivity par excellence. However, rather than embracing the symbolic meaning of Jesus' birth as a moment of happiness and hope, the island, with its tribal, pagan and mystical roots, appropriates the rich magical-religious heritage linked to the Winter Solstice, influencing agricultural cycles and natural balances.
‘Sa Paschixedda’, as opposed to ‘Sa Pasca Manna’, or Easter, represents a unique celebration symbolising family unity, sharing and, above all, tradition.
Sardinian Christmas traditions manifest themselves through numerous aspects of culture, both material and immaterial, ranging from food to folk tales to religious rituals, always strictly permeated by an enchanting legacy of paganism.
Return of the shepherds.
In the days leading up to Christmas, shepherds would return home after a long period of transhumance, greeted by their wives and children; the latter had often grown up too fast and for a long time without a father figure. Nevertheless, that return constituted a crucial moment not only for the family, but for the entire community, which, during the eve, gathered in the ‘nott'e xena’. The warmth and light of the house, combined with the tales and legends told by the elders to entertain the children, animated a simple meal consumed exclusively for the pleasure of celebrating the return. The true abundance of the meal manifested itself on the 25th. From the slaughter of the pig, a family sustained itself not only on the feast days, but sometimes for almost an entire year. The slaughter of a pig has always represented a cathartic event marking important occasions and special moments in the life of a community or village.
In his work “Miele Amaro”, Salvatore Cambosu writes:
"Of course, it takes a village for a child like Jesus to be born every year for the first time. In the town there is no real stable with a real donkey and ox. One does not hear bleating, nor even the atrocious cry of the sacrificed pig [...] In the city, it is even a waste of time to search for a kitchen in whose black heart the red flower of the stump's flame blossoms".
The hearth and its stories.
The hearth, therefore, already the centre of domestic life, takes on an even deeper symbolic meaning at Christmas, becoming almost a ritual. It was a very common practice in many parts of Sardinia to whitewash the black walls of the fireplace in preparation for Christmas Eve. On the evening of 24 December, the fire was stoked on a large wooden log kept especially for the occasion, known as ‘su truncu e'xena’, which had to burn for all the festivities until Epiphany. Care had to be taken not to extinguish it, but also not to let it burn out completely, in the belief that this ritual practice would bring good luck and prosperity to the family.
In the context of the poorest households that were unable to afford a substantial lunch, the community showed its generosity by presenting the so-called ‘mandada’: a food reserve that was rarely used in large portions throughout the year (cold meats, dairy products, sweets).

It was obvious that the real stars of Christmas were the children, who could only stay up late on certain holidays. And curiously enough, it was precisely the children who became the recipients of fairy tales and spooky narratives that served as real terrors. The stories about witches and fantastic figures that disturbed the serenity of the festive nights varied from village to village, although they were all similar: from Maria Mangrofa - the child-eating witch of Orosei - to Maria Puntaoru - an evil being who would grope children's bellies while they slept and, if they were empty, stab them in the stomach with a sharp golden skewer. However, as well as urging children to follow good manners, these legends also appealed to adults, who were often blinded by greed and hatred. Thus, tales developed about ghosts and demonic creatures that were placed to guard hidden treasures or fascinating stories about broken loves and betrayals.
Christmas games.
Special importance was attached to games. The most widespread was ‘su barrallicu’, a spinning top with four faces, each bearing a letter: T for ‘tottu’ (=everything), N for ‘nudda’ (=nothing), M for ‘metadi’ (=half) and finally, the last and least lucky, P for ‘poni’ (=you put). In turn, one would spin the spinning top and this, stopping, would give the precise instruction to the player: in the case of the letter T, the lucky player would take the entire spoils of the game, while in the case of P, he would have to give part of his own. The loot consisted of nuts, chestnuts and dried fruit.

Midnight Mass and omens.
At the sound of the bells at midnight, families would come out of their homes to participate in "sa Miss'e puddu", the mass marked by the first crowing of the rooster, which probably maintains links with the "Missa del gall" of Catalan origin.
In addition to the possibility of meeting non-family acquaintances, midnight mass was a very popular social event, especially for women expecting a baby. According to widespread popular beliefs, women who did not attend mass ran the risk of losing their child or giving birth to an unhealthy baby. These were deeply rooted popular traditions, often exorcised through magical and shamanic practices, which had much in common with ancient pagan faiths rather than with genuine and pure Christian devotion.
The ancestral power of this magical night was also reflected in the children born shortly before midnight, who, according to ancient beliefs, were protected from physical corruption and disease. In addition to the privilege of not losing teeth and hair during their lives, it was believed that they would enjoy a long life. In Logudoro, on the other hand, it was believed that children born on the night of 24 December would preserve the 7 houses of the neighbourhood (the number 7 carries with it multiple references to the pre-Christian world and is fundamental in esoteric numerology and mystical philosophy).
Dulcis in fundo, a special place was reserved for typical sweets. From "sa tunda", a sweet round bread enriched with walnuts and sultanas, to "su bacchiddu 'e Deu”, an elongated bread embellished to resemble the bishop's crosier, to “pabassinas”, diamond-shaped iced biscuits made with a mixture of almonds, flour, sapa, sultanas, walnuts and hazelnuts.
The image at the top of the article is a painting by Giuseppe Biasi, Costumes of Orune - 1934 mixed tempera on cardboard, It is exhibited at the MAN Museum in Nuoro.
Bibliographic references:
- G. Deledda, Tradizioni popolari di Nuoro in Sardegna
- C. Zedda, Creature fantastiche della Sardegna
- S. Cambosu, Miele amaro
- G. Calvia, Il Natale in Sardegna
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Roberta Carboni has been a tourist guide and art historian for more than 10 years. She lives in Cagliari and is passionate about Sardinia, which she has loved so much, all her life, which is why she has chosen to tell its story through exclusive thematic tours. In this way, she contributes to making the island known not only to those who do not yet know it, but also to the Sardinians themselves. The tours take place both within Cagliari, i.e. in the historic centre and other parts of the city, and in the surroundings of the city, going also to the south and centre of Sardinia.
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