Christmas preparations in Campania are connected to the Neapolitan traditonal pastries: “roccocò”, “susamielli”, “divino amore”, “zeppole” and “struffoli”, which reminds us of the advent period,  long evenings at home, and the Tombola game. Also related inevitably, is the smell of fried zeppole,  the steam on the window panes, warm houses, and all the delicious smells that are connected with Christmas.
Traditionally, grandmothers say that when you prepare zeppole  nobody should watch you or the  small cake will explode when frying.
Typical of the sorrentine area,  “zeppole”, are little, deep fried cakes made with flour , water, milk and aniseed, dipped in a honey mixture and topped with diavulilli( coloured  candy bits) and candied orange. This cake has a very old tradition,  among one of the many Neapolitan jobs, where in the past there used to be a “zeppolara” who fried thedoughnuts in the street using pork or other animal fat and served the small doughnuts with a honey topping.
Struffoli are also taditional christmas cakes, they are fried pastry balls covered with honey and diavulilli.The origin of this cake is Greek: the name “struffolo” is derived from Struggolos rounddish, with in fact indicates the shape in which they are prepared.  Even this tradition is really old in the history of Neapolotan pastry, unforgettable are the confections made by nuns in the convents of Croce di Lucca and S. Maria dello Splendore.
Mustacciuli  is formed into a diamond shape and then covered with chocolate icing, their name is linked to the old peasant recipe which used wine must to make them sweeter.
The “S” shaped susamielli are prepared with honey and following old traditions they are different types: noble susamielli which were made with white flour and offered only to respectable people, and the susamiello for pipers, were made with flour and leftovers from the kitchen which were offered to the servants and pipers, and  finally the susamiello  for the eilte which was only given to the clergy. Slightly different from susamielli are “sapienza” that owe their name to the convent of S.mary of Sapienza, where nuns made them.
To complete the list of the traditional cakes we cannot forget the divinatore, a soft cake covered with pink icing taking their name from the closed convent community, and “roccocò” , which are crunchy gingerbread biscuits,  similar to  the French rocaille for its baroque and shelled shape