11/23/2023
Tomorrow is La Festa del Ringraziamento! Of course, this is only celebrated in the USA, but many cultures have been celebrating harvests for centuries. Did you know that the Romans also celebrated a large annual harvest? This festival was called Cerelia, which honored Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, grain, and fertility. (And yes, the origins of the word ‘cereal’ come from this goddess and festival!)
The festival was held each year and last 7 days where the first fruits of the harvest were offered to Ceres. The celebrations included music, parades, games and sports, and a feast. A nighttime ritual described by Ovid also included tying blazed torches to the tails of live foxes, which were then released into the Circus Maximus. The reason for this is unknown, but it’s thought that the Romans believed the ritual would cleanse the growing crops and protect them from disease and vermin, or it would be able to add warmth and vitality to their growth.
Learn some Italian vocabulary for the holiday!
L’autunno – fall
Il granturco – corn
Il tacchino – turkey
La tradizione – a tradition
La zucca – pumpkin
Riunirsi – To get together
La salsa di mirtilli – Cranberry sauce
Le patate (al forno) – Potatoes (baked)
Le patate dolce – Sweet potatoes
Le verdure – Vegetables
La torta di zucca – Pumpkin pie
Festeggiare – To celebrate
La gratitudine – Gratitude
Il purè di patate – Mashed potatoes
Il ripieno – Stuffing
Il sugo (di tacchino, di carne) – Gravy (turkey, meat)
Buon Giorno del Ringraziamento – Happy Thanksgiving
Buon Giorno del Ringraziamento a tutti, e buon appetito!