Conciati Per Le Feste (Windows Exclusive)

The village of Montechiaro was usually silent by seven, but tonight the air smelled of burnt sugar and cheap wine. At the center of it all was Elio, a man who took the Christmas lighting competition far too seriously. He wasn't just competing with his neighbor, a retired dentist named Sergio; he was competing with the stars themselves.

"It was glorious for three seconds," Sergio admitted. "The satellite definitely saw you. They probably thought a new star was born." Conciati per le feste

: Vinicio Capossela uses the same title for his concert tour , which blends traditional Christmas songs with a more theatrical, "folkloric" celebration style. If you tell me what kind of ending you prefer, I can: The village of Montechiaro was usually silent by

Elio stood on his porch, his velvet suit jingling sadly as he slumped against the railing. He was ruined. His masterpiece was a dead tangle of wire, and he had blown the fuse for three streets. Sergio walked over, carrying two plastic cups and a thermos of spiked cider. "It was glorious for three seconds," Sergio admitted

By the evening of the Great Reveal, the entire town had gathered. Elio stood with a remote control in his hand, looking, as the locals said, conciato per le feste —he was wearing a suit made of green velvet with actual bells sewn into the seams. He looked like a Christmas tree that had gained sentience and a mortgage. "Watch this, Sergio," Elio hissed, pressing the red button.

In the sudden, heavy silence, the only sound was the motorized cough of Sergio’s inflatable Santa, which had its own dedicated battery pack. It swayed back and forth in the darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow of the moon.

"You really did it, Elio," Sergio said, handing him a cup. "You’re properly conciato per le feste now."