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,…
Tutti Santi e Defunti (Morti)
While the rest of the world celebrates Halloween, Italy commemorates its lost ones. November 1 is Ogni Santi, All Saint’s Day. November 2 is Commemorazione dei Defunti, or All Soul’s Day. As in many other Catholic communities, visiting your loved ones at the cemetery is expected. Most Italians live and die in the same town…
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…
Italian Life Coach 