Epiphany

We celebrated Epiphany a week ago. Epiphany is a strange holiday and I don't think the Catholics in the US know about it. It's on January 6 and it celebrates the day the 3 wise men arrived at the manger to see Jesus. The 3 wise men don't show up in the ever present nativity scenes until this day and the die-hards stay up until midnight on the 5th to add the 3 wise men to their scenes. Fabri's grandmother used to do that. The same for Jesus on the night of the 24th.

This is us in 2003 with Fabri's grandmother's nativity scene in the background.

On epiphany good girls and boys receive candy in their stockings and bad kids get coal.  Sound familiar?  Well good ol' Santa Claus has nothing to do with it.  These treats are brought by a witch named Befana.  According to Liz (and I don't remember who told her), Befana was sweeping her house when the 3 wise men came by and said they were going to go see a baby in a stable and she should join them.  She said no thanks, she has lots of sweeping to do.  It turns out the baby was Jesus and she felt so bad that now she rides that broom around delivering candy & coal.  So it's a holiday for kids & witches (aka single women).

So that's what we were celebrating last Thursday with a big lunch at the Ruffia house.  It was a beautiful day.  There was snow on the ground, but it was very sunny and not too cold.  Fabri and I arrived early with Olney to help Maria Pia set up and cook.

From Epiphania 2010

I helped Maria Pia plan a bourguignonne menu (fondue with broth or oil).  I made an asian beef broth and we had beef, chicken, sausage, shrimp and veggies to cook in it.  Just about the entire family came.  We were at least 20.  It's not easy setting up fondue pots for 20.  We used 5.  I helped Maria Pia prepare the tables and we hung out until everyone else arrived.  Gaetano & Detta came with the new baby Sofia, Pasqualino & Sylvia with Emanuele and Giovanni & Brunella with Lulu, so there were a lot of babies there.  We left Olney outside of the house for the lunch to keep the drama down with all the little ones. 

It was a lot of fun and we ate a LOT of food.  Detta's mom brought lasagna, an antipasto and dessert (a LOT of dessert).  Giovanni made stuffed mussels and of course we all drank a lot of wine. After lunch we played Bingo and hung out. 

From Epiphania 2010

Even that little minx Lulu had some wine!

Now this week Fabri's back to work and I'm back to the museum.  And I'm hoping for snow everyday!