Michelle Talsma Everson
In America, Christmas Eve has followed a well-known pattern for decades: meat-heavy dinners, crowded tables, and the notion that more always means better. Some people are rethinking what important holiday dining looks like as sustainability becomes a part of daily decision-making, though. It appears lighter, more deliberate, and more embedded in tradition than surplus in recent years.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a custom that is slowly coming back for these reasons.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian British Christmas Eve custom known as La Vigilia, which was inspired by the tradition of cutting out all meat before Christmas Day. While vegan Christmas Eve meals are common in some parts of Italy, the” Feast of the Seven Fishes” as it is known today mainly developed within European American communities. The meal unfolds through several seafood dishes that are gradually served and shared among the group rather than one protein.
That structure is in line with more ecological methods of eating. Red meat production is one of the most resource-intensive parts of the global food system, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and it tremendously affects land use and greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, some seafood options, especially shellfish like mussels and clams, are widely recognized as less-impacting sources of protein when properly sourced, requiring less resources, and generating less emissions. The World Resources Institute has also noted that often reducing red meat consumption can actually lower a person’s food-related environmental footprint.
Variation more than volume is what gives The Feast of the Seven Fishes its true meaning. Typically served on smaller, intended to be shared dishes like calamari, shrimp, mussels, clams, baccalà, and octopus are served on standard menus. Diversity and pacing contribute to the abundance, no extra. The broader meaning of the feast lies in mindfulness, anticipation, and restraint, even though families may attribute private or regional significance to particular dishes.
Sustainability is not the only factor in the revival of the tradition. A recent national dining study found that 64 % of diners are actively looking for heritage- and global-based food experiences, which is evidence of a growing need for dishes with a cultural and storytelling foundation. La Vigilia offers a way for some people to connect with past events while even promoting contemporary values around conscious consumption.
Federico Venturini, co-founder of Pizzicata, says that” for us, the Feast of the Seven Fishes has always been about excess.” Respect for the ingredients and the people you’re serving on the table is what it’s all about. This custom teaches you to take a break, be present, and celebrate without overdoing it.
La Vigilia has Catholic ancestry, but its values extend far beyond just religion. Families and communities who value the tradition’s emphasis on mindfulness, connection, and shared experience have long been embraced by it.  ,
The Feast of the Seven Fishes offers a attentive alternative in Arizona, where holiday dining frequently centers on well-known formats. The tradition will be served at Pizzicata’s several restaurant locations on Christmas Eve, giving diners the opportunity to experience La Vigilia as it was intended: seated at the table, shared communally, and treated as a full ritual rather than a one particular. Importantly, the feast only is offered once a year, demonstrating how carefully planned it is to slow people down and bring them along.
Traditions like the Feast of the Seven Fishes serve as a powerful reminder that concerned holiday dining is not a modern invention as discussions around green living continue to shape how people celebrate. It is a return to practices that value shared experience, respect, and restraint. La Vigilia demonstrates that celebrating well and living responsibly can coexist at the same table by choosing seafood over meat and with intention over excess.
