Just One More Slice

Christmas is just around the corner, don’t you know.

Sorry for the reminder, but there it is! And I’m not really that sorry, as I do love this time of year. You’ll not be getting no “Bah, humbug” from me, I’m afraid!
Of course, as we slide gently into December here, naturally I’m wondering what Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) has for me this year.
Socks? Underwear? Knitted scarves and gloves? A new iPhone? I don’t think so.

More likely a glass or three of Sicilian dessert wine, accompanied by several generous slices of a locally-made artisan (‘handmade’) “Panettone”, all the while listening to and ‘enjoying’ Christmas songs on Spotify or YouTube.
Speaking of Panettone, we’ve already ordered a couple. This year from “Fede”, a most excellent “Dolceria, Pasticceria, Gelateria e Caffetteria”. That is: A sweet, pastry, ice cream and coffee shop up in Modica Alta.
The festive season f’sure being of the (over-)indulgent “No Diet Yet” variety in Modica!
Now, we’ve been enjoying local Panettoni every year since that first Christmas back in 2020. Always following our strict “Share the Love” mantra, we’ve ordered them from about every pasticceria down here in Modica Bassa, so this year it’s Alta’s turn.
Now, back in both the UK and NZ, we’d sometimes buy a Panettone for Christmas. Although, in truth, we’d always found them ... somewhat disappointing. Being of the (overly) ‘mass-produced’ variety as they were. Here though?
Bring it on, Modica … I’m up for the challenge!

Chrissy Bling

The ‘Christmas Season’ begins way later here than you (and I) may be used to.
The season only ‘formally’ kicking off on the 8th of December. A Sunday this year as it happens.
Unfortunately for those still working. I say ‘unfortunately’ because it’s a national holiday in Italy, and they don’t do the whole “carry-it-over-to-the-next-working-day” thing here!
The 8th of December is the celebration of the “Immacolata Concezione della Beata Vergine Maria” (“Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”).
This mouthful usually being reduced to simply the ‘Immaculate Conception’, and it’s Catholic Church dogma, first proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854, at which time the church established the Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin from the first instant of her conception. As distinguished from the virginal conception of Jesus, it must be noted.
And now you know!

Chrissy decorations 2021

What does this mean for life here in Modica though? Well, for one thing there’s a general absence of ‘Christmas bling’ on display here. Alright, and f’sure some businesses (and homes) are sporting the ‘usual suspects’: Christmas trees, rather rotund bearded gents dressed in red-and-white, metres of tinsel and/or flashing lights.
But for the most part here, you’d note a lack of those ostentatious, over-the-top, uber-commercial shop window displays you’ll see in your own high street in NZ or the UK. Or Christmas lights turning night into day along said streets. Until the 8th December anyways.
Now I’ve tried to stop Alice putting up decorations prior?
I’ve always failed…

Brass Monkeys

Always be prepared to revisit stuff!
I mean, looking back at what I wrote the other day, I’m not so sure now that: “...as we slide gently into December here” is factual? I, for one, don’t like the fact it’s getting cold here now.
Albeit ‘cold’ is a relative term, of course! For us here in the sunny (sunnier, at least!) south of Europe, ‘cold’ means temperatures falling to single digits celcius.

No comment necessary...

Not minus, mind you, as that rarely seems to happen here. Although the “Feels Like” option on the weather forecast app can point out that it f’sure can feel like a minus sometimes.
I’m only pointing this out now because tonight’s the night! The night when the temperature drops to a bone-chilling 7 degrees celcius. And the next 10 days ain’t much better either, swinging between 7 and 9 degrees only. “Brass Monkey Weather” in other words!
Now before you type “Wimp!” or some other equally hurtful comment in response to this post, please to remember I’m out walking most mornings way before the sun comes up. I don’t go out looking like the “Michelin Man”, but I will be sporting at least three layers of clothing when I do, alright?
As I like to put it: “Mrs Kelly didn’t raise no fools!”
And then there’s my poor babies: My cactuses and succulents aren’t exactly fans of the chill either. And who am I to blame them? Like me, they prefer the warm…
Bring on Summer…

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