At 4.30pm this afternoon the Vatican Christmas tree and Nativity scene will be illuminated. The 25 metre high tree is a red spruce from the Trento region of Italy and is decorated with ceramic ornaments made by children in hospitals.
The Nativity scene comes from the island of Malta and pays tribute to the migrants who are forced to flee their countries and undergo dangerous sea journeys.
Of course, sparkling Christmas trees can be glimpsed in courtyards throughout the city.
Last year our favourite wooden toy store, Bartolucci,near the Pantheon, had a tree inventively decorated with wood shavings.
Along the Lungotevere, a Christmas tree had been created out of books.
There will be no tree at the Colosseum this year, due to the ongoing construction work of Metro C, but Piazza Venezia will display a 20 metre spruce from Trentino.
