Thankyou for all the Christmas and New Year wishes and something for Epiphany

[PMRpro]

Here in northern Italy we have many traditions over this time of year and with Saturday being the end of the 12 days of Christmas I thought I would show you this one.

Groups of children dressed as the 3 Kings and carrying a star and a box to collect donations walk from house to house, performing a poem and singing to earn their donations. In return, they chalk up the date and C*M*B (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) on the door as a blessing for the house. Today they were underway in a local ski resort, visiting the restaurants and bars on skis to collect there.

[Longtimer]

What a lovely unusual and very sweet pic......thank you....

[Bedwell]

wonderful!

[Sportsgirl]

love that they have their skis on. What a colorful picture.

[Joanbill13]

How lovely. Would love to be there. Happy new year x

[Suffolklady]

That’s very interesting

[KellyInTexas]

how interesting, on skis! Thank you for sharing- happy new year.

[Songbird69]

How lovely to see this. Thank you for sharing. 😊

[daisylazy]

Thanks Pro lovely custom. Happy New Year

[Kendrew]

What an interesting custom..... and a lovely sentiment too.

[GOOD_GRIEF]

The kids look great. Have an Epiphany and a Happy new Year.

[Pixix]

I like it! Our cottage is still over decorated & over lit through 12 days of Christmas..but Epiphany is close now! S x

[Ronzy]

LOOKS FANTASTIC.

[Greensleeves]

Beautiful photo with some of the local children , dressed up with a splendid backdrop. Thank you for sharing.

Glad the 12th day is the 6th , as the traditional day due to the Epiphany .

Happy New Year PMRpro and all you wonderful people in the group.

xx

[Mstiles]

I love this! How beautiful and creative.

[SheffieldJane]

Magic! I love this kind of tradition. X

[Frewen1]

how lovely- thank you. Never seen that. Happy new year x

[Grammy80]

When I saw the notification, I was anticipating another video......but the children are adorable. Amazing to me that they walk on those things!!! Really sweet.💞

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grammy80]

They don't walk in their skis - they ski down the pistes to get from one restaurant hut to the next on the slopes. When going around the village, they wear ordinary boots.

[Hunter134]

Awe they are so adorable 💖I love it!

[LemonZest11]

You certainly live in a beautiful part of the world with its traditions. Should be more of it! Happy New Year 🥳

[Katiecatweazel]

Good morning lovely Europe! Thank you for telling us about this delightful custom PMRpro. Happy New Year.

[2013mayo]

how lovely, wonderful photo.

[Lonsdalelass]

What a lovely idea, and so unusual to us in the UK. I'd love to see them, I can imagine it's a great spectacle 😀

[Kiwisufferer2019]

Thank you for posting, very special.

[prunus]

How delightful. I love it.

[Jackoh]

Lovely!

[whitefishbay]

I absolutely love this. Love the Italian traditions (and rules about what pasta with what sauce). Happy New Year. Auguri. Thank you for all your help over the years.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to whitefishbay]

I think actually it is a German initiative, started in the late 50s:

ofmconv.net/en/germania-ini...

During the pandemic they stopped the house to house part though they still collected I think. This year they were back.

Italy does have a singing tradition but it is more folklore based

annesitaly.com/2021/01/01/u...

Befana is the third celebration of Christmas with gifts in Italy but I haven't seen it much here.

[icu2]

does the Befana make it to Northern Italy? 😉

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to icu2]

When the Italians bring her along while they are skiing ... They also bring Babbo Natale for the 24th - whereas the German speakers have the Christkindl to bring the presents, St Nikolaus having dropped by on the 5/6th December.

alamy.com/stock-photo-chris...

The Christkindl varies from a babe in arms to the beautiful angel from Nuremburg.

[whitefishbay]

Well my husband (German but never lived there) will be happy about this. Excellent custom. My son is called Caspar to top it off. Happy Epiphany tomorrow. x

[123-go]

A lovely tradition that will have been passed down through the generations. How excited the children must be to take part!

[singingloud]

How lovely. What do they do with the donations?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to singingloud]

There is a designated children's charity in the 3rd world each year. This year it is in Madagaskar and will include building accommodation for women and girls needing protection where they will be educated and given medical care. A hospital unit for children and expectant mothers will also receive funds and 500 children will get school materials.

[singingloud]

That’s excellent. Thanks

[montebello]

Heartwarming. Thanks for sharing

[sidra1968]

Wow! How lovely

[PMRrunner]

How wonderful, I remember reading about it when we first visited the Val Gardena.

[Ceathrua498]

How beautiful and wonderful. We need more if that

[Body_bonkers]

We have a similarish tradition in Wales called Calennig which has been practised for centuries. Some also celebrate the new year on January 13th

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Body_bonkers]

That isn't a New Year celebration as such - though a neighbour's daughter and her friend do the traditional New Year greeting around the doors as a bit of self-enterprise with a different bit of poetry that doesn't actually mention the Magi/Kings.