These dates are celebrated primarily by Catholics, but not just by Italians.
November 1st is a public holiday in Italy for All Saints Day where it is known as Tutti i Santi Ognissnati. All Saints Day is the Catholic holiday, commemorating the Saint Martyrs and the following day is All Souls Day, which is set aside to honour loved ones who are deceased. Italians celebrate the two days together and traditionally they visit the graves of their loved ones and leave some flowers normally chrysanthemums.
This is why you must never take chrysanthemums as a gift to an Italian household, as it is considered unlucky to have them indoors.
This is my first post for October, a longer than expected gap as since our return from a trip to the UK we have been having internet problems. The short version of the long story is that our provider decided it was not viable to keep the mast servicing the Marta area in operation! With no notice they just decided to switch it off, although during the last few weeks they have provided it twice for a few hours at a time, to give us chance to sort out alternative providers perhaps?! Well joking aside since lunchtime today we are now connected to a different mast courtesy of this little dish!
So now hoping problems are behind us and that I will have a chance to catch up with my blogging friends.
I am particularly concerned to check that all those of you in the path of Hurricane Sandy have stayed safe and secure in your homes, my thoughts have been with you.
The weather here has turned cold and very autumnal definitely time for roasting chestnuts and pumpkin soup, both of which we have enjoyed in the last few days. The chestnuts are from our own garden but the enormous pumpkin was grown by our neighbours and is now in their hen pen. Although so far the hens have not taken an interest!
For those of you interested in music the following post from last year has some autumnal tunes to help put you in an autumnal mood. Musica per Ottobre
I am leaving the blogging hiatus badge in the sidebar because I do not think I will be posting very often here over the winter months and I hope this will explain that I have not disappeared. In fact now that normal internet access has been resumed I have lots of Photos and Book Reviews that I plan to share with you. Please call by my other blogs and say hello if you are interested.
If you celebrate Happy Halloween.
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| Courtesy of artbymichelle |
