Christmas Eve and the Feast of the Seven Fishes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, one of Italian America’s most enduring holiday traditions, is loosely based on Italy’s cena della Vigilia (Christmas Eve dinner), but, you’ll be hard-pressed to find many Italians who are familiar or even aware of the homemade fish and seafood buffet that is served here in the States on Dec. 24.

It’s unclear when the Feast became so popular in the U.S.; however, the tradition can be traced back to the early 1900s, as millions of Southern Italian immigrants steamed across the Atlantic during “The Great Arrival” and started a new life here in America, according to the Carnegie Museum.

These early ancestors, homesick for the land they left behind, combined classic Italian dishes with seafood. The sea was a representation of the connection between Italy and America, and seafood is tied to religious rituals, as many Roman Catholics were known to abstain from meat prior to Christmas.

The number of fishes is also roughly tied to Catholic doctrine: the creation of the world in seven days, the seven sacraments, seven sins, or even the Seven Virtues of Catholicism. Nine fishes at the table presumably represented the Holy Trinity times three. Eleven fish signified the Apostles minus Judas, whereas thirteen fish suggested the Twelve Apostles plus Jesus, according to ISDA Contributing Editor Tony Traficante.

Just remember: if you want to do it right, always stick to an odd number.

Typically, the most popular fish and seafood are baccala, sardines, smelts, shrimp, lobster, mussels, octopus, eels, scallops, anchovies, clams and the list goes on.

And in the end, the menu boils down to family history as various recipes — both popular and niche — have been handed down from one generation to the next.

Here are a few recipes that you can add to the table this year: