A festively decorated Christmas tree, the smell of mulled wine and panettone and people in warm jackets and Christmas hats: What sounds like a scene from the depths of December actually happened at the weekend in the middle of August in Abruzzo. In Terranera, a district of Rocca di Mezzo located at an altitude of 1,270 meters, the traditional "Christmas in summer" was celebrated - an event that was as curious as it was atmospheric as a farewell to the warm season.
Cold weather as the perfect backdrop
The idea of bringing Christmas forward was almost a joke, but was impressively supported by reality. The weather played along perfectly: Rain, thick fog and evening temperatures close to freezing turned the summer evening in the Sirente-Velino Regional Park into an authentic winter's night. The local tourism association then organized a large feast on the village square for around 200 locals and tourists. A long table with red tablecloths was set up to celebrate by the fire and Christmas carols were sung. The special weather conditions even made for a "snow-covered" Christmas tree, whose branches were covered in condensation. The initiative, whose theme changes every year, quadrupled the population of the small village for one evening and created a surreal and unforgettable atmosphere.
