The Italian word for Christmas is "Natale." It is pronounced "na-ta-lay." The word is derived from the Latin word "natalis," meaning "of birth." In Italy, Christmas is a very important holiday celebrated with great fanfare and tradition. It is a time of feasting and merriment, with traditional foods such as panettone and torrone. Children look forward to the arrival of Befana, the Italian version of Santa Claus, who brings them presents on the night of December 24th.