The Italian Ways of Life

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Of course everyone loves to have a giant feast on Christmas Day. You wouldn’t even believe all the mouth watering meals and desserts they cook up. Instead of having Christmas Eve on the twenty-fifth Italians have it on the fifth of January. Also, on that night the children will hang up their stockings, like us, but instead of waiting for Santa Claus the children wait for Befana. She’s a witch like character that rides a broom stick, but a good witch. There’s a story that goes along with it too:

“Three Wise Men, I re magi, stopped at Befana's hut to ask directions on their way to Bethlehem and asked her to join them. She said no, she was too busy. Later a shepherd asked her to join him in paying respect to the Baby Jesus. Again, Befana said no. Later when it was dark and she saw a great light in the skies, she thought perhaps she should have gone with the Wise Men. So, she gathered some toys that had belonged to her own baby, who had died, and ran to find the kings and the shepherd. But Befana could not find them or the stable. Now, each year she looks for the Christ Child, and each year since she can not find him, so she leaves the gifts for the good children of Italy and pieces of charcoal for the bad ones..”

For their Christmas Eve all the family is gathered at a house to have a meatless feast. On the next day, though, you better believe there will be mounds and mounds of meat and pastas on your plate! They usually have a raisin bread, turkey, chicken, rabbit, and spaghetti. Don’t forget all the desserts, and I’m sure there would be more than what’s listed above. Those are just the basics. Italian mothers will be coming around to fill your plate up a fourth time, even though you’re stuffed!

The next largest ho...

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