Celebrating Mums and Dads

Zeppole waiting for Dads

The story of the Zeppole

The story of the zeppole

 Two weeks ago it was Mother's day in Britain and now today 19 th of March is Father's day in Italy and all week children have been made busy cutting, glue-ing and creating various gifts and learning poems off by heart all guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes and make the heart swell with love and pride. In Britain the pubs and restaurants have big signs outside with inviting offers like Mums eat free, which conjure up pictures of Mum tucking in to a huge banquet while the family watches . A hotel in London put an advert in a daily newspaper offering a 3 hour Mother's day spa session for two for £900. When I told my brother this he said 'well the important thing is to give her a hug.' Mums and Dads are being celebrated in Italy and Britain this month and so let's hope there 's lots of hugging going on. In the very moving film "Steel Magnolias " The scene where Shirley Maclaine and her daughter hug and then the daughter says something like "that's the first time that I let go first", is heart-wrenching.
On occasions like this, I like to imagine all the deep unfathomable love that my brother and I had for my Mum and Dad sort of wafting up to heaven and surrounding them like a big, fluffy, soft white cloud. They can bask in it, wallowing and luxuriating in all the love. Italians might think this sounds like a well-known coffee advert..

I brought back a baby doll for my little grand- daughter from England. On the box it proclaims to say 50 words. A great way for her to learn some English I told my son and daughter-in-law.My granddaughter wore a look of growing consternation as we listened to the doll mechanically repeat phrases such as "please put me in my pushchair " or " where is my highchair". Finally the doll said. "I love you mummy" , my grand-daughter 's little face cleared and lit up in sheer delight , she clutched the doll to her in an endearingly maternal way. "Ha detto che mi vuole bene" she said joyfully. "She said she loves me". From the age of about two she has been proudly telling other people that her nonna says "I love you" to her.

One of my Mothers day gifts

The story of the zeppole is from the South Of Italy. At the end of the Winter all the left-over grain is made into a bonfire and burnt at the side of the village square. When it is just a heap of ashes all the men leap over it while the women send prayers to St.Joseph ,the patron saint of fathers.

So however simple or lavish your celebration have lots of hugs and don't be the one to let go first....

A quick note to non-Italian speakers, Ti amo means I love you, but is only used for romantic love, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, whereas Ti voglio bene also means I love you, but is used for other family members and close friends. Ti voglio bene literally means that you want the good for the other person.