The Charintel represents an ancient tradition of the Ramats, retaining some connection with the figure of the modern Christmas tree and the Christmas season, which in Ramat is called Charenda. The analogy with fertility trees of Celtic origins is evident.
It involves a tree, usually a silver fir, which is decorated with ribbons and crepe paper flowers on the occasion of the community’s main celebrations: Saint Andrew, the Immaculate Conception, Saint Anthony the Abbot, and Saint Joseph. It is placed inside the chapels where the saint is celebrated or, in the case of the Immaculate Conception and Saint Anthony, in the parish church. On these occasions, blessed bread called charity is also distributed, which, in the case of the feast of Saint Anthony, is a unique bread in which branches decorated with flowers are planted.
In the past, the Charintel was decorated with ribbons that were placed on the chest of those attending children's baptisms (in this case, pink for girls and blue for boys) or the funerals of the community’s youngest members (the ribbons were then white). The Charintel also had, at the top, a bunch of artificial flowers made for the feast of Saint Cecilia. It was carried in procession by a boy who made it "dance". The tree was then burned in the Carnival bonfire, but only because it was already dry. From the ashes of this bonfire, the priest would obtain the Holy Ashes.
