Feast of the Seven Fishes: History, Meaning & Christmas Eve Tradition

Christmas Eve looks different in every family. Some people gather around a roast. Others prepare tamales, pasta, soup, or a table filled with seafood.

For many Italian-American families, December 24 brings a special meal known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. It is a Christmas Eve tradition built around fish and seafood, family, and the anticipation of Christmas Day. But the story behind it is more complicated than its name suggests.

The feast does not have one official menu or one proven explanation for the number seven. Instead, it grew from older Southern Italian Christmas Eve food traditions and developed into a distinctive Italian-American celebration in the United States.

To learn about other classic Christmas customs, read our guide on why we use holly and mistletoe at Christmas.

A traditional Italian-American Christmas Eve table laden with seafood dishes, fresh bread, and warm holiday lighting.

What Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-American Christmas Eve meal featuring multiple fish and seafood dishes, traditionally associated with abstaining from meat before Christmas Day. Families commonly celebrate it on December 24, often serving several seafood courses over the course of an evening.

The dishes can include:

• 🐟 Salted cod (baccalà)
• 🦑 Calamari
• 🦐 Shrimp
• 🦪 Clams
• 🦪 Mussels
• 🐟 Smelts
• 🐍 Eel
• 🐟 Anchovies
• 🦀 Crab

There is no universal menu. Some families prepare exactly seven seafood dishes. Others serve fewer, more than seven, or do not count at all.

Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes Really Italian?

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is best understood as an Italian-American tradition with roots in Southern Italian Christmas Eve customs. This distinction matters.

In Italy, Christmas Eve is commonly called La Vigilia, meaning "the eve." Christmas Eve meals vary considerably from one Italian region and family to another. The specific American tradition called the Feast of the Seven Fishes is much more strongly associated with Italian-American communities.

National Geographic notes that the phrase and elaborate seven-fish celebration developed in the United States rather than representing one universal Italian Christmas tradition. An anthropology project at West Chester University makes the same broader point: the feast is an important Italian-American tradition, but it is not equally widespread across Italy itself.

That history is more accurate than saying every Italian family has always eaten exactly seven fish on Christmas Eve.

Why Do People Eat Fish on Christmas Eve?

Fish became associated with Christmas Eve because Catholic traditions historically called for abstaining from meat on certain fasting or vigil days. For observant Catholics, Christmas Eve was a day of abstinence before the celebration of Christmas. Fish provided a way to prepare a substantial meal without serving meat.

Southern Italy also has a long relationship with seafood because of its geography and coastal communities. As Southern Italians brought their food traditions to the United States, seafood remained an important part of Christmas Eve meals. Over time, a meal shaped by religious practice also became a way to preserve family heritage.

Why Are There Seven Fishes?

No one knows with certainty why the number seven became associated with the feast. This is one of the most interesting parts of the tradition. Several explanations are commonly suggested:

• The Seven Sacraments: One popular explanation connects seven with the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.
• The Seven Days of Creation: Another theory connects seven with the seven days of Creation described in Genesis.
• Other Biblical Meanings: Seven appears frequently in the Bible, which has led to several symbolic explanations, such as the seven deadly sins or the seven hills of Rome.

However, these explanations should be treated as theories rather than proven historical facts. West Chester University's research specifically notes that the reason for seven is unknown and that several symbolic explanations have been proposed. Food Network also notes the connection people make between seven and Catholic symbolism.

There is no universally documented origin story proving that seven was chosen for one specific religious reason. That uncertainty is part of the history.

When Did the Feast Become Popular in America?

The tradition developed alongside Italian immigration to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Millions of Italians left Italy during major waves of immigration. Many immigrants came from Southern Italy and brought their regional food traditions with them.

In America, these traditions changed. Families adapted old recipes to new ingredients, new communities, and new circumstances. Christmas Eve seafood meals became one way for Italian Americans to maintain connections with their heritage.

National Geographic describes the Feast as a tradition that evolved in America as Italian immigrant families and later generations adapted their Christmas Eve customs. The Italian Sons and Daughters of America similarly connects the tradition with the migration of Southern Italians to the United States during the early 20th century.

Does the Feast Have to Include Exactly Seven Fishes?

No. There is no universal rule requiring every family to serve exactly seven seafood dishes. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the tradition.

Some families carefully count seven. Others serve eight, nine, or even more dishes. Some families focus on seafood without counting the dishes at all. And the word "fish" can be used broadly. A family might include several kinds of shellfish alongside finfish.

The Denver Public Library's historical research found no formal definition that establishes one official list of seven dishes. So if your family's Christmas Eve table has six dishes or ten, that does not automatically make it "wrong." The tradition has always been shaped by families.

What Is Baccalà?

Baccalà is salted cod and is one of the best-known foods associated with Italian Christmas Eve seafood meals. Salted cod was historically useful because salting preserved fish for long periods.

It can be prepared in several ways, depending on the family and region. Common preparations include:

• Stewed baccalà (with tomatoes and olives)
• Fried cod fritters
• Baked cod with potatoes
• Cod in a seafood soup

For many families, baccalà is one of the dishes that makes the Christmas Eve meal feel traditional.

How Do Italian-American Families Celebrate the Feast?

Families usually celebrate by preparing several seafood dishes and sharing them together on Christmas Eve. The meal may be formal or casual. In some homes, relatives arrive early to help cook; in others, each family member brings a dish. The meal can last for hours, especially when several courses are served.

The food is important, but the gathering itself is just as meaningful. The Italian-American tradition has become a way of connecting generations, preserving recipes, and remembering relatives who came before. National Geographic describes this connection between food, family, heritage, and memory as an important part of the tradition.

Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes a Religious Holiday?

No. The Feast of the Seven Fishes is not an official Catholic feast day. Its religious background comes from the older practice of abstaining from meat before certain religious celebrations. The meal itself is a cultural and family tradition.

The Denver Public Library specifically notes that "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is not a formal Catholic feast recognized by the Church. For some families, however, the meal remains closely connected to their religious observance. Others celebrate it mainly as a family or cultural tradition. Both experiences can exist.

What Foods Are Commonly Served?

A typical feast might include several small courses instead of seven huge plates. The exact menu is personal. There is no requirement that every family copy another family's seven dishes. Food Network also emphasizes that there is no single set menu for the feast.

How to Plan a Seven Fishes Christmas Eve Dinner

The easiest way to plan the feast is to choose a mix of simple seafood dishes instead of trying to cook seven complicated meals at once.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes in Popular Culture

The tradition has become increasingly familiar to people outside Italian-American communities. It has appeared in movies, television, food media, and holiday programming.

The FX series The Bear brought additional attention to the tradition through its Christmas-related storyline. Online discussions around the show show how strongly viewers connect the meal with family memories and Italian-American Christmas experiences. There is also a 2019 movie titled The Feast of the Seven Fishes, which helped introduce the tradition to a broader audience.

But popular culture can sometimes make the feast look more uniform than it really is. Real families have different recipes, different numbers of dishes, and different ways of celebrating.

Frequently Asked Questions