But for many Italian families, it’s a day, or night, for fish. The rules of this Christmas Eve Dinner are simple: no meat, lots of fish, and a whole lot of cooking. So what does it all mean?

Christmas in Italy is a time for celebration, and with food playing such an important role in global holiday traditions, it’s no surprise that feasting is central to Italian Christmas.

The origin of this Italian tradition is shrouded in mystery ... Pleasant Beach Pizzeria expands “These are our traditional Christmas Eve family recipes,” the preface reads.