Traditions

The House of Medici. To anyone the name of this powerful Florentine family is in and of itself a synonym for the Italian Renaissance. But how many do really know about the origins, history and art patronage of the dynasty which …

La musica italiana is a powerful art that brings people together. It will never cost you a dime in overweight luggage fees to take home. It will transport you back to a memory, a place, or a time. No matter …

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly…and any Texan worth his or her braggin’ rights has gotta own a pair of mighty fine cowboy boots. Ask any Lone Star State resident to name the Cadillac of boot brands and you’d most …

This time of the year is my personal favorite: I am a child of the snow and the mountains, invigorated by the dry, crispy chill of winter, rather than the sticky heat of the summer months. I like early-setting darkness …

This typical delicacy from Sicily is called in the local dialect Cuccidati. It is a fig-stuffed cookie traditionally served during Christmas holidays. According to some, its origin goes back to centuries, and the dough is renowned for its softness. This …

From scarlet undies to pig’s trotters, fireworks to fearless bridge divers or tombola to fat ox parades, Italians love to celebrate the New Year with some wonderful traditions. It’s all to help usher in good luck and a good year. …

Christmas is on its way, and it’s time for pizzelle – “little pizzas.”  Italy’s crisp waffle cookies have many regional names, nevole, ciarancelle and catarrette among them.   In Abruzzo, where the cookie is believed to have originated, they are …

Greccio is a small town near Rieti, where St Francis conceived the first living nativity scene ever made in history, in 1223. To keep this tradition alive, the inhabitants of Greccio recreate this live nativity scene every year since 1973, …

Christmas is a universal feast. It is the apogee of all year’s celebrations for Christians all around the world; it is a time of love and warmth for everyone else. Regardless of your faith and beliefs, in the end, Christmas …

Many holiday foods, sweets in particular, are imbued with symbolic meaning, making anyone preparing them feel a connection to his or her tribe or traditions. Crisp and sweet ribbon-like pastries have a particular significance in the repertoire of Italian confections, …