Italians and Cemeteries!

It may seem like an odd dynamic and by the title of this post you may expect it more during Halloween than Memorial Day weekend.... but hear me out! As I took my grandma and my mom to the cemeteries in preparation of the holiday weekend, it occurred to me there is some strange connection and difference from other cultures that Italian Americans have with visiting cemeteries. 

Before my Grandpa Joe even passed, he would make my mother and her sister acutely aware that he must be buried in Lowellville with "his people" like he believed they'd visit each other at night. Well, he got his wish and many of his family and friends are nearby. I can't help but wonder if they really are out visiting at night. 

My mom believes based on the instilled values form her grandparents that to not care for an ancestorial grave is actually a mortal sin! My grandma as well, despite not walking well would never miss a year if she is still alive of taking flowers and crosses to the graves of family members passed. If she isn't able to walk over, she will gladly supervise from the car window. 

Why is all of this craziness? I view it as a sign of respect but have to admit that certain aspects are taken to extreme. If the county didn't cut the grass fast enough, folks will be wondering around with weedwhackers, cutting their own plots even! The Italian American cemetery before Memorial Day has more visitors than the county fair, I swear! These traditions began back in Italy as well though, so this is really nothing new. If a town doesn't have an actual Italian American cemetery as well, it isn't hard to find the Italian graves dispersed throughout.... just look for Saint statues, especially of the Madonna, vigil lights, and immaculately kept grounds with edge stones and mulch and possibly even a bench. 

While we speak on the cemetery of Lowellville, we can't ignore the cultural custom of inspecting gravesite on Memorial Day! This has to be an Italian thing! I cannot think of another local cemetery where the living in the town will walk around on Memorial Day after the celebration honoring veterans just to see which families cleaned up the graves for the summer! What shame it would be on your family and looks you would get in town if your ancestors plots were not impeccable by Memorial Day! Hence the reason for my visit today! Must get the gravesites in shape... and who knows maybe it isn't even the townsfolk who talk but maybe the spirits visiting each other at night have a thing or two to say to each other about their descendants' caretaker skills as well. Hopefully, they think I did a good job! 

None of this is new in the Italian culture though. It is just what you do and a part of the heritage... maybe not a well-known part but a huge part, nonetheless. While Memorial Day is by the far biggest of this traditional (probably because it is the "spring cleaning"), it is also very customary to ensure Christmas wreaths are placed, palm is left at Easter, and reverence is paid for All Soul's Day as well. So as long as my heritage continues, I'll be visiting the cemetery... Leave a grave unattended?  ....Fuhgettaboutit!

Spooky Wine Tasting

Again, this year, as years past, I planned the Ladies Mt Carmel Society Italian Women's Club annual Halloween party, in conjunction with my mom and my aunt. Being more pressed for time this year, we decided to keep it simpler than some years in the past had been and simply planned a Spooky Wine Tasting theme. 

The first step was to create a buffet area that would go with the theme. The main table was covered in black party table clothes then strewn with some creepy clothe and fall grapevine swags. From there displays were added that incorporated some elements of wine and skeletons, to get that spooky effect. Grape crates were used to create height and battery candles added to the lighting. The food buffet was placed among these vignettes. 

Of course, being a wine tasking, we had to have wine! Labels were found on Pintrest, printed out and taped around the bottles to cover the current labels just to add some more creepiness to the event. A cart was set up near the bar area with a skeleton sommelier to help in deciding which wine to imbibe in.

At the tables, cheese plates were used as centerpieces along with a rubber rat who may want a nibble.

I also created a wine tasting cheat sheet for each guest to use during the actual tasting portion later in the night. I have added a copy of that sheet as well below, should you be inclined to have your own tasting. 

What cute Halloween party ideas have you used? Comment below...

 

Our Lady Mt Carmel Display

So this fall my Mom and I were given the honor of redoing the display for the Our Lady of Mt Carmel statue that is used for the parade mass that kicks off the annual festival. No one had redone this window in years and you can see it needed some TLC. 

The walls were a drab beige color and the floor was indoor outdoor carpet that had a fake grass appearance. Some attempt was made at decorating by placing pieces of tulle at the front of the window but this was certainly not a well decorated place of honor to display the Virgin Mary.

We decided to go to with a feminine look with pink florals and billowy blue satins. We covered the walls and floor with blue satin to give the appearance of the Madonna floating in a heavenly sky. Behind the statue we placed an arbor draped with blue and white chiffon fabrics and a garland of ivy with pink roses. 

We reused the pedestal that was already in the window and added a tall urn on the opposite side to balance the heights as well. More garlands of pink roses and ivy were placed around the base of the statue. I know there is a glare with the glass in the photos but certainly it is definitely an improvement in the display. The new window display is more reverent and heavenly display for the holy statue. What do you think? Comment below...

A Private Festival

Every year like clockwork at the 16th of July the sleep little town of Lowellville, OH comes to life with the whirl of kiddie rides, screams of aggressive mora players, clanks of bocce balls, and Italian music. The sausage and cavatelli could be smelled in the air from blocks away. Just like everything else this year though the festival looks a little different. There are no vendors.... no crowds gathered in the street.... no games... no children running to capture the elusive flags that can be traded at city hall.... no bocce balls on the court and no numbers being shouted in Italian.... 

In the darkness hidden from public view we still gather with the band playing our song... a culture and heritage that cannot be set aside regardless of the world around it. Tradition must go on! A private viewing of a select handful of us still gather to prepare the Baby Doll. We don our masks and still cheer on... we have even more to rejoice in the start of this new year for us... we have endured and survived even more than in past years on this night. 

In some ways the year's festa was the best ever. It reminded us why we actually have this tradition and connected us more to our roots than the annual hustle and bustle had done in years. We were connected again, we were apart of what I ancestors had passed on to us. Despite the lack of carnival environment, the music still cues up and there is more childlike excitement in the air than any year before.... The doll dances and the fireworks shoot into the air and every Calabrian in the crowd is shaking their fist at rough year that has just ended!! Buona Festa..... until next year!