Nina Gigante — Canto della Nina

The carol that announces Christmas

On the evening of December 24th, Christmas Eve, Thiene (province of Vicenza) celebrates one of its oldest and most distinctive traditions: the Canto della Nina. The "Nina" is a carol announcing Christmas, sung from a high vantage point—a ladder or a tree—while people gather around and respond in chorus.

A centuries-old tradition

The carol consists of 33 verses and has very ancient origins: the first forms of oral tradition date back to the 14th century, while the first written records are found in the 18th century. Each district of Thiene has its own Nina (or more than one), which announces Christmas by singing through the neighbourhoods in the days leading up to Christmas Eve.

The Nina Gigante and the UNESCO nomination

The climax is the Nina Gigante: on the evening of December 24th, all the Ninas from the districts gather in Piazza Chilesotti to sing together in a grand collective choir. In the afternoon, a Nina dedicated to young people is also scheduled. The Municipality has initiated the process to seek recognition of the carol as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The tradition is preserved and promoted by Pro Loco Thiene along with the district committees.