While Americans celebrate the holidays by displaying decorated Christmas trees in their homes, Italians remain true to the essence of Christmas by displaying a Presepio (Nativity scene) in their homes and churches to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Origin: The Presepio was first created in 1223, by St. Francis of Assisi, in a cave outside the Italian town of Greccio. St. Francis placed a manger in the cave with live animals so the townspeople could recreate the birth of Jesus prior to the celebrations of Christmas Eve mass.
