A Year of Tradition Autumn and winter celebrations and traditions Italy

2 nd November Commemoration of the dead Typical sweets and sugar puppets On the night of 1st November Sicilian parents and grandparents traditionally buy Frutta di Martorana which is marzipan shaped into fruits and vegetables and at this time of year ghoulish shapes, which children are given as gifts on 2nd November, All Souls Day. The sweets are usually hidden in the house. Some lucky Sicilian children might even get toys and in the supermarkets and shops you will find toys for this occasion which might just trick you into thinking that Christmas shopping has started early. The tradition is that 'defunti', the ghosts of deceased family members, steal into the home and hide the gifts for their young descendants. The children are told to behave in the hope that they will receive these gifts. The "day of the dead" or, in Sicilian, "U juornu rii muorti" is celebrated on the 2nd of November. This is the day when the church remembers, with special celebrations, those who are no longer alive. The history of this festival goes way back to the 7th Century and it was traditionally a day to honour all the world's Saints.

8th December The feast of the Immaculate Conception The day recognizes that the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin– something with which, in Catholic dogma, every person is considered to have been born. The feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated with religious processions, fireworks and typical foods. The bonfire…

… and the "muffuletti" typical bread with fennel seeds and seasoned with oil, olives and anchovies. The procession and the fireworks