by Dianne Hales | Jan 11, 2022 | Books, books on Italy, culture, history, Italian, Italian folklore, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Language, learning Italian, Travel, Uncategorized, Web/Tech, Weblogs
b. The start of a new year is a good time to follow the example of the Roman god Janus, whose two faces allowed him to look back to the past and ahead to the future. As 2022 begins, I recall 2009, the year when LA BELLA LINGUA was published and when...
by Dianne Hales | Jan 4, 2022 | books on Italy, culture, Epiphany, history, Italian, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Religion, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Uncategorized, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Long after many Americans have taken down their Christmas trees and packed away the decorations, Italians continue to celebrate. The final feast is l’Epifania, on January 6, which commemorates the arrival of i re magi, the three kings who followed the bright Christmas...
by Dianne Hales | Dec 28, 2021 | books on Italy, Food and Drink, history, Italian, Italian folklore, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Language, Religion, Sayings and expressions, Social behavior, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
In ancient times, the new year began in the Spring. In 153 B.C., the Romans moved the start of a new year to January 1 and dedicated the first month to Janus, the two-faced god who looks back toward the old year and ahead toward the new one. For six days, Romans...
by Dianne Hales | Dec 21, 2021 | books on Italy, Christmas in Italy, creche, food, Food and Drink, Italian, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Religion, Rome, saints, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Most families in Italy begin celebrating il Natale on the evening of December 24 (la vigilia di Natale) with a big dinner. Because Christmas Eve is a vigilia di magro (a day of abstinence on which the Catholic Church prohibits the consumption of meat), the centerpiece...
by Dianne Hales | Dec 14, 2021 | Christmas in Italy, creche, culture, history, Italian, Italian folklore, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Language, Religion, Saint Francis, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Centuries ago, in 1223, San Francesco (Saint Francis), the charismatic friar of Umbria, wanted to bring to life the story of il natale di bambino Gesù (the birth of Baby Jesus). In the little town of Greccio, he placed a manger in some straw and added a living...
by Dianne Hales | Dec 7, 2021 | Books, books on Italy, Christmas in Italy, food, history, Italian, Italian folklore, Italian language, Italian words and expressions, Italy, Language, Religion, saints, Sayings and expressions, Sicily, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
In the dark of December parts of Italy light up to celebrate a saint whose name derives from the Latin lux or lucis for light (luce in Italian). Lucia was a young girl who lived in Siracusa on the island of Sicily in the third century. According to various legends,...
