Stacy Pollard

Snapshots from Italy: Favorites Across the Years, Part 1

A very rough (and probably low) estimate of pictures of Italy I have in my personal files is around 2500. So, in what seems like a perfect way to avoid post-Christmas clean up and neglected laundry from the holidays, I thought it would be fun to showcase some of my top favorites this month. Enjoy…

La Befana is Coming to Town

While Italian children believe in Babbo Natale (Santa Claus), they also have La Befana, an old witch-looking woman who rides a broom and delivers presents on the night before Epiphany, (Epiphania) which is celebrated January 6. This marks the final day of the stagione natale, the Christmas season. There are different accounts for the woman who inspired this legend,…

Snapshots from Italy: A Wish List

“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher While I have been fortunate to see the moon shine from several places in the world (including Italy), Italy is still an itch that needs scratching. Here are some places still on my Italian wish…

Libri love.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I stepped into this abundant bookstore in Milan. So beautiful, so orderly, so many libri italiani (Italian books). My heart started beating fast and I didn’t know which section to tackle first. However, I took this picture because there was a great irony occurring at that exact…

Buon Natale a Tutti / Merry Christmas to All!

Wishing everyone a blessed and beautiful holiday season. ❤ Piazza Portanova, Salerno Image Credit Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome Image Credit: Roma Ieri Oggi Facebook Page Florence Image Credit: The Travel Cocktail

Is Santa Claus Italian?

“Is Santa Claus Italian?!?” exclaimed seven-year-old Daughter as she was watching the animated movie “Rise of the Guardians.” Alec Baldwin voices Santa Claus, who does speak with an accent, although I’m not sure that it’s intended to be Italian. “Mom, listen to him!” she implored, and then really focused on the next few lines of dialogue….

Mixing Media

Old world mixes with new as this man of the cloth checks his phone while exiting the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy. San Nicola (Saint Nicholas), is the patron saint of Bari, Italy, and is thought to be the man who inspired Santa Claus traditions the world over. Please visit Prayers and Piazzas Thursday…

Christmas Lights in Italy

I Luci di Natale in Italia If a picture is worth a thousand words (mille parole), how many does a video cover? Find out by taking a virtual trip to Italy to see the Christmas lights, with three bits of footage culled from YouTube. Enjoy! Divertiti! Two and a half minutes in Florence/due e mezzo minuti…

Christmas in Italy: 5 More Reasons to Celebrate!

Here in America we have twenty-four shopping days in December until Christmas, but in Italy, the holiday season starts a bit earlier, lasts a bit longer and is sprinkled with more official celebrations. Image Credit In fact, there are five holidays other than Christmas and New Year’s which are part of Italy’s stagione natalizia (Christmas season). What…

Blessings to all who Pass By

Behold the tabernacolo, those lovely outdoor altars that are ubiquitous in Italy. Ecco il tabernacolo, quelle belle altari all’aria aperta che sono onnipresenti in Italia. “Talvolta con tabernacolo si indica una piccola edicola o capitello votivo o santella o altra struttura posta in luogo pubblico, all’interno della quale è inserita un’immagine sacra (dipinta o scolpita), a…