Candelora

February 2 is the Candelora festival. You don’t hear about it actually being celebrated much in Tuscany where I am, but rather used to know if winter is over. The roots of the festival go back to Roman times, the goddess Febris or the Etruscan god Februss, the month of February was time to purify…

December’s Holidays

December is filled with so many holidays that it is hard to make plans. December 7th: San Nicola is the first celebration in December. Our Santa! Saint Nick. He is the Patron Saint of Bari in Puglia. He is also the patron saint of sailors and children. The city of Milano celebrates their patron saint,…

Ferragosto

August 15th is my sign summer is almost over. In Italy, so many things close down. Small family owned businesses may close the whole month or simply a week. If possible, families leave town and head to the beach or the mountains to stay cooler and have some nice fresh air. These signs are all…

La Notte di San Lorenzo

The patron Saint of cooks is San Lorenzo, Saint Lawrence,perhaps because he was grilled to death? Folklore has it that  he was placed over an open fire on a grill and asked to be turned over as he was done on one side. He is also seen holding a grill in his hand. or directly…

San Giovanni – June 24th

In Florence, June 24th is important as St John the Baptist is the patron saint of the city. We have a historic soccer game called Calcio in Costume, which can be rather violent. A rough combination of rugby and soccer played on sand in the Piazza Santa Croce. I adore the parade which happens before…