A Final Blog: Looking Back–and Moving Forward

by | 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...

Christmas in Italy: Three Days of Feasting

by | 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...

Christmas in Italy: The Nativity Scene

by | 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...

The Sights and Sounds of an Italian Christmas

by | Dec 14, 2020 | Assisi, Books, books on Italy, Christmas in Italy, creche, culture, history, Italian language, Italy, Nativity scene, Religion, Rome, Saint Francis, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs

“Natale con i tuoi; Pasqua con chi vuoi,” Italians say. “Christmas with your family; Easter with whomever you want.” An Italian Christmas centers on casa (home) and stare insieme in famiglia (being together as a family). But even at a distance the sights and sounds of...