Christmas in Italy is a special holiday. It is always celebrated with family. As the saying goes, “Natale con I tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” (Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you want).

From the beginning of November, Pandoro and Panettone appear in stores. These are famous sweet cakes. They are available in industrial and artisanal varieties. They differ in price and, of course, taste. Christmas is also the time for the famous Cantucci and Vin Santo. People think about the holiday menu, buy gifts, decorate their homes, and put up Christmas trees. Artificial ice rinks are set up in the city, concerts are held, and Christmas markets open. They are especially famous and widespread in northern Italy. Markets, supermarkets, and flower shops sell “Christmas star” (Christmas flowers). Every parish prepares a live “Presepe” (Nativity scene).

The whole family gathers around the table on the evening of December 24, jokes, has dinner, and exchanges gifts at midnight. Special attention is paid to dessert.

Panettone and Pandoro are two iconic Italian Christmas cakes with rich histories and distinct differences:

The essential differences between panettone and pandoro include:

• Shape: Panettone is tall and dome-shaped. Pandoro has an eight-point star shape
• Ingredients: Panettone features candied fruits and raisins. Pandoro is plain, relying on butter and eggs for flavor.
• Texture: Panettone has a more complex structure due to long rising times. Pandoro is softer and fluffier with a delicate crumb.
• Both cakes are labor-intensive and require specific techniques to achieve their unique textures and flavors, making them beloved staples of Italian Christmas festivities celebrated worldwide

Here are the top industrial brands of the most famous Panettone and Pandoro cakes in Italy:

• Bauli: Top seller for soft panettone and pandoro in various sizes, a household name nationwide.​
• Motta: Renowned for classic recipes and special editions like chef collaborations, often leading pandoro charts.​
• Melegatti: Patented pandoro in 1894, specializes in the original star-shaped version alongside panettone.​
• Tre Marie: Founded in 1896 in Milan from a medieval bakery tied to the “Three Marys” legend, evolved simple bread into enriched panettone with candied fruit and butter crust. Expanded nationally in the 1960s by supplying patisseries, now a symbol of Milanese tradition for panettone, pandoro, and colomba.​
• Balocco: Affordable yet high-quality options that frequently rank well in consumer tests.​
• Maina: Known for innovative flavors like hazelnut-filled panettone, popular in grocery stores.

Panettone and Pandoro aren’t the only Christmas treats in Italy. Here’s a list of the best desserts, in my opinion:

• Panforte (Tuscany, Siena): Dates back to around the year 1000 as a dense “panmelato” made with honey, dried fruits, almonds, and spices in monasteries. It earned its name from the strong (“forte”) flavor after drying out, becoming a staple for Siena’s Christmas markets in white and black varieties.​
• Cantucci (Tuscany): Originated in Prato during the Renaissance under the Medici family, where they were twice-baked (“cantuccio” means “corner”) almond biscuits designed for dipping in Vin Santo. Evolved from ancient Roman crustulum cookies, they became a festive treat symbolizing simplicity and longevity.​
• Torrone (Lombardy, Cremona): Traces to ancient times with honey and almonds harvested before Christmas, linked to Cremona’s Torrazzo tower. Gained fame in the Renaissance as a crunchy, festive nougat spread across Italy, often molded into shapes for holiday gifting.​
• Tronchetto di Natale (Northern Italy, Piedmont): Inspired by the French buche de Noel and pre-Christian yule logs burned from Christmas Eve to Epiphany for good luck. Features rolled sponge cake with chestnut cream, chocolate, and mascarpone, mimicking a log for modern festive tables.​
• Ricciarelli (Tuscany, Siena): Evolved from 15th-century marzapane and marzipanetti in noble Senese courts, with roots in Oriental almond paste traditions introduced via the Crusades. Legend credits knight Ricciardetto della Gherardesca for bringing the recipe back, shaping them like curled sultan slippers; the name appeared in 1814, now a soft, powdered almond cookie prized at Christmas.​
• My favorite brand of Christmas sweets is definitely the Tuscan brand SAPORI.

In Italy, Christmas Eve (La Vigilia) concludes with a festive midnight Mass attended by families in their finest attire, followed by returning home for late-night sweets like panettone or pandoro, paired with strong espresso or digestifs such as “amaro” (meaning bitter) like Montenegro and Ramazzotti.  Laughter fills the air as relatives play traditional card games like briscola or tombola around the table, sharing stories and gifts under twinkling lights until the early hours, embodying warmth, abundance, and familial bonds before retiring contentedly. Buon Natale!