The Origin of the Feast of the Seven Fishes

Every year in the U.S., many people celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. Nobody knows exactly when the dinner became so popular, but it is considered one of the most Italian traditions around. The family gathers around seven different seafood dishes, or around one or two types of fish prepared in seven different ways.

Not every Italian knows it

Surprised? Despite its popularity among Americans, many Italians have never heard of the tradition — or its origin. The answer lies in the biodiversity of Italy, where the north and south differ in countless ways. Each of the 20 regions has its own culinary tradition for the cena della Vigilia, the Christmas Eve dinner.

• In Piemonte, families celebrate with agnolotti, fresh pasta filled with meat.
• In Roma, the tradition calls for minestra di pesce, a fish-based soup.
• In Sardegna, there is no Christmas Eve dinner without malloreddus, small semolina gnocchi usually served in a sauce with tuna and fresh cherry tomatoes.

Whatever the region, an Italian Christmas feast is not complete without panettone and pandoro, the traditional fluffy cakes that adorn every table and are gifted with wishes of love and prosperity. Classic holiday desserts such as torrone, hazelnut-studded chocolates and panforte round out the table, and there is more where those came from.

Why fish, and why seven

Eating fish on Christmas Eve is an ancient tradition. It dates from the Roman Catholic custom of abstaining from meat and dairy products on the eve of certain holidays, Christmas included.

The number seven goes back to ancient times and connects to multiple Catholic symbols. It appears more than 700 times in the Bible. According to the Roman Catholic Church, there are seven sacraments, seven days of the Creation and seven deadly sins. Hence seven courses.

How it became a feast

The official "Feast of the Seven Fishes" first emerged in the early 1900s. Italian-American families revived the Old Country's Christmas Eve tradition with a seven-course seafood meal, which gave the newly found custom its name. The dinner kept them close to home while celebrating the sea, a major connection to Italy.

Today it is considered one of the oldest Italian traditions — but we give America credit for that.