An Italian Christmas: Traditional Italian Holiday Foods

However, the Italian holiday season is comprised of more than just fish from a food perspective.  Depending on the region, you'll find Italians celebrating the Christmas season with the following foods:

Cured meats or salumi according to what's produced and eaten in the given regionVarious cheeses according, again, to what's produced and eaten in the given regionCured Olives and pickled vegetablesBaked pasta dish or cheese filled pasta such as agnolotti, ravioli or tortellini A light soup or brodoRoasted wild game (in the South it could be goat, rabbit, boar, etc.)LentilsVarious fish, including eel and salted cod (it's traditional not to eat meat on Christmas Eve)Cotechino or New Year's SausageVarious side dishes including, broccoli, potatoes, zucchini or eggplantsCookies or BuccellatiFor dessert, which Italians traditional do not consume, you'll find Panettone,  Pandoro and/or PandolceTorroneFresh fruit and fennel