Christmans tree vs. Presepe in Italy

Christmas decorations and trees are very popular in Italy. Lights and decorations start around December 8, the day of the Immaculate Conception. The main focus of decorations continues to be the presepe, the Nativity scene. Virtually every church has a presepe and they are often found outdoors in a piazza or other public areas. The presepe capital is Naples, more specifically a street, San Gregoriao Armeno. where all the masters of presepe-making have their workshops. Those masters keep presepe up to date with current events, so you can find characters such as the US presidential couple, the French presidential couple, and, of course, soccer stars.