Happy New Year. Or Else!
When I first lived in Rome back in the 70's, the age-old Italian New Year's Eve tradition was to gather up all the old unwanted furniture, crockery, appliances, and other belongings and at midnight throw them out the window. It always seemed to me an efficient way of putting the house in order, by making a celebration out of it. A Tom Sawyer approach, make it fun. It did, however, mean it was dangerous to be walking the streets at that hour. More recently the practice was outlawed, to be replaced by toasting the stroke of midnight and throwing the empty champagne glasses out the window. Still dangerous to be outside, though less life threatening.
posted by John M Crowther @ 8:26 AM
5 Comments:
Poor Charles! His resolution for 2007 should be to run for his life...(in order to get one!) LOL Great cartoon John :-)
Would love to have been there to see the furniture go out the window...quite the sense of satisfaction to make one's problems someone elses! LOL
And yes it would seem to still be a hazardous activity to be walking the streets of Rome on New Years! Sadly...nothing nearly so exciting here!LOL
And speaking of old but now discarded Italian traditions, here’s one described in “Venetian Life,” first published in 1866 by William Dean Howells, appointed by Lincoln as American counsel in Venice. At one time rather late in the glorious history of the Venetian Republic fathers accompanied their daughters to a great fair; the young women were all dressed in white, their hair loose around their necks; each carried a box with a dowry slung over the shoulder by a ribbon. The boxes and the girls were examined by prospective suitors, the Bishop gave his benediction; and both brides and boxes were carried off by the young men of the city.
I regret this tradition has disappeared from modern life and suggest it might be revived on graduation day at one of our more distinguished educational institutions. Young women might carry their MFAs and credit cards in a little box slung from their shoulders; young men of course would display their stock portfolios.
The slump of Charles' shoulder, the look on the face and the bent leg of submission. Oh, yes, John C, you are indeed getting better and better at these cartoons.
Always look forward to il professore's comments. Wicked sense of humor.
Oh John...you are just marvelous at showing us the truth in life...poor Charles...well I hope he can keep his list longer than she keeps hers! HA!
This one My Dad and I think needs to go on a MUG! The thremal kind that where the image shows up when hot liquid is poured in it! *GRIN*
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