Professor Philip J. DiNovo is the Founder and
President of the esteemed American Italian Heritage
Association and the American Italian Heritage Museum
in Albany, New York. He has also been knighted by
the Italian Government and is a respected figure in
America’s Italian community
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
December 2025
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. How reassuring that one of our most oft-repeated pronouncements is said by just about everyone enthusiastic for this beautiful season. While it is a national holiday for many, I mainly think of it as the celebration of Jesus' birthday~ a family day lied with Italian traditions. We always have on display a with Italian traditions. We always have on display a Nativity, referred to in Italian as a presepio (ceppo), in addition to a Buon Natale wreath which hangs above our replace. In our living room stands a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments collected over many, many years that formerly graced the trees of cherished members of my family who are no longer with us. We also have panettone and no longer with us. We also have panettone and cucidati, our family's traditional Christmas dolci at the ready to serve to our guests. I fondly remember that in the past we would have thirty-plus. people gathered at my DiNovo grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. Their home was filed with the joy and sounds of the season. While grateful, we are now down to only six at the table. This is due to the fact that most members of my immediate family have moved south. There have been so many changes in our life-time and we know that they are always there. But, it certainly doesn't take away the great void felt today by the inevitable circumstances and passage of time. There are numerous Italian Christmas seasonal traditions noted in our newsletter. A great number of people have remarked that no one celebrates Christmas better than the Italians. I am a firm believer that one of the best ways to keep alive our Italian heritage is to practice and share our Italian culture with loved ones and others. We have so much to draw from during the Christmas season. Our traditions help preserve and express our Italian cultural heritage and identity. They foster a sense of belonging, strengthen community ties, and provide tangible proof of the continuity and stability spanning generations while often conveying important values and ethical lessons. Traditions mark significant life events, thus enhancing their mark significant life events, thus enhancing their importance by creating lasting memories and emotional connections among family and friends. I have worked very hard to put our newsletter together and encourage you to adapt ideas if that works better for you in order to embrace our traditions.
For instance, serve three fishes instead of the suggested seven fishes, purchase your Italian dolci if you don't have the time or inclination to bake your own, etc. You get the idea! Of utmost importance is that you are actively passing on traditions to those around you. I feel when I do these things I am honoring those who passed them on to me and am truly enriched by them. Regrettably, our museum doors are not open for business as often as we would like. They should be open more hours than we are able to manage at present but are not because there aren't enough volunteers to cover the front desk and/or act as a docent. Things become increasingly dire in the wintertime due to the fact that a number of our key members head south to take in the warmer climate.
Those of us that remain face a daunting task. So, before visiting the museum on a questionable weather day be sure to call ahead to check if we are actually open. I, for one, will not be able to open the museum in bad weather since I absolutely cannot afford to take a fall. Please con-tact me if you are willing to volunteer on a Friday or Saturday during willing to volunteer on a Friday or Saturday during the winter. All offers of help are encouraged and very much appreciated.
The bills for 2026 memberships have gone out and we urge you to send in your dues along with a donation, if possible. We need your support in order to keep us vibrant and help us to carry out our very important mission. Although I wish the response to my pleas in the last President's Message had been better than received, I do sincerely thank each of you who showed that you care and support us! As always, a membership in the AIHA&M makes a great Christmas gift that keeps on giving all year long. Please consider anyone you know whom you think would appreciate being a member and receiving our informative twenty page bi-monthly newsletter.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and myself you are wished a
blessed Christmas ~ Buon Natale! Also, may we all look forward to a New Year of good health!
Prof./Cav. Philip J. DiNovo
In honor of the Italian immigrants who came to the United States of America, we are committed to record and preserve the contributions of our Italian Heritage and culture to our society through our newsletter, cultural programs, activities, exhibits, and outreach programs.