Just needed to be heard for a little while

Waves_and_Smiles

Awww, so do I. I learn a lot in doing so, too!

elsien

lostinrates wrote: »

In Italy on the 6 th of January is when children get their Christmas gifts, and not from Father Christmas, but from la befana....a sort of Christmas witch.....an old lady flying on a broomstick.

I remember that! My parents used to send for gifts from England from the catalogues, and if they didn't arrive in time for any reason they'd whizz to the shops for Christmas day presents then keep the catalogue ones so we'd get a second lot for befana. I liked befana.

There was also something (not Christmas related, I think it was autumn) where in Naples people used to walk the streets chucking flour and water at each other. Any idea what that might have been? (You may want to give that one a miss WaS, potentially very messy indoors!)

Celebrations are good. I like celebrations, the more the merrier.

whitewing

I can sometimes even celebrate the opening of a new pot of coffee, so no, I don't find it odd to celebrate as much as you can.

lostinrates

elsien wrote: »

I remember that! My parents used to send for gifts from England from the catalogues, and if they didn't arrive in time for any reason they'd whizz to the shops for Christmas day presents then keep the catalogue ones so we'd get a second lot for befana. I liked befana.

There was also something (not Christmas related, I think it was autumn) where in Naples people used to walk the streets chucking flour and water at each other. Any idea what that might have been? (You may want to give that one a miss WaS, potentially very messy indoors!)

Celebrations are good. I like celebrations, the more the merrier.

I don't know the flour one, it might be more southern or related to Napoli? I cannot see the Milanese throwing flour at each other :rotfl:

whitewing

Pancake Day in a power cut!

elsien

I'll have to ask my mum if she can remember.

If you need something for March, how about Holi? Again very messy (sensing a theme here,) but you could tone it down to dressing up in really bright clothes and use it as an excuse to make lorry load of indian food?

codemonkey

On 5th December in Czech Republic they celebrate Mikulas (St. Nicholas day elsewhere). St. Nicholas is accompanied by a devil and an angel. The angel gives presents to good children and the devil punishes naughty children. Children have to recite a poem or sing a song to scare the devil away and they get treats (naughty children get coal or potatoes).

codemonkey

Also, if you're interested today is Oman National day.

Waves_and_Smiles

I didn't have a celebration for March so that is perfect, thank you! The 5th of December is also marked down (WaSp is going to love this). I have never heard of Oman National Day, I am off to look it up!

oldestgnome

I used to celebrate Sinterklaas or St Nicholas Day eve with my Dutch housemate. The eve is the 5th Dec too. The tradition was to write a silly poem which included clues about where to find the gifts and who sent them. The gifts were silly too and preferably home made and geared towards the recipients interests (cereal box made into a rowing boat on one occasion with liquorice and sweets inside!) Kind of like a treasure hunt. The presents are accompanied by ginger biscuits in the shape of the first name initial.

It would all depend if you had been good as sinterklaas with his helpers (Zwarte Pieten - black Pete) would keep tabs on behaviour . They celebrate christmas and have presents on St Nicholas day too.