As elsewhere, the Christmas tree is a recent innovation and formerly (and indeed still on some islands today) a Christmas ship was decorated and had the place of the tree. This Christmas ship or "karavaki" (ie. little ship) is sometimes carried around by carol-singers on Christmas Eve, New year's Eve and on the Eve of Epiphany. It is usually little children who sing the "kalanda" or carols holding triangles very early on these mornings for a few coins. Letter to pupils Italian EnglishIf you like it here is the lyrics to download
A performance at school plenty of music and Kalanda directed by me two years ago is following
