3/19/11

La Festa di San Giuseppe

Today is La Festa di San Giuseppe! I doubt that there will be a mention of it in the papers. No calendar acknowledges this feast but I have it on good authority that indeed today is La Festa di San Giuseppe. No parades, perhaps a homily, if anyone bothers to go to church on a Saturday morning anymore. In fact, compared to St. Patrick , whose "day" we recently celebrated, St Joseph is a loser. I had planned to write a lengthy post about  the  origins of St. Joseph's Day but it is best that I defer to this  link.

 So here we are, March 19, 2011, St. Joseph's Day.  I'm told that it's a time for feasting with zeppoli being the pastry of choice. I love zeppoli and if St. Joseph is responsible for them I am indeed grateful to him. In appreciation for his sponsorship of zeppoli, I feel that I should wear something red today. Why red? I'm not really sure, but  wearing red on St. Joseph's Day is akin to wearing green on St. Patrick's Day? It's "akin" but hardly anyone does. I'll bet part of the problem is knowing what shade of red to wear. The Irish have their Kelly green but I've never heard of a paisano red. Chianti red might be a possibility.  I would wear a Chianti red tie, but retirement has played havoc with my tie collection. Perhaps my red flannel shirt will do, it has a Chianti stain on it that won't come off. Some biscotti with espresso tonight should suffice for  the feast part of the  celebration. Did you know that St. Joseph is the patron saint of pastry chefs?  Not as exciting as chasing snakes out of Ireland. Pretty dull - I suppose that's why today will essentially be a day like all days. Oh hum, Erin go Bragh!

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