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Christmas in Italy is a special time. The festivities last from December 8 to January 6, and those days are stuffed full of great traditions.

(RNS) — While many still lament their diminished New Year’s celebrations, I take comfort in knowing that my childhood new year didn’t really start until Jan. 5. On that night, the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, my siblings and I gathered around our kitchen table to fill a cup with wine and plate slices of panettone, the traditional sweet leavened cake of the season, for a special visitor.   As the majority of Catholics in our Bronx neighborhood were preparing to commemorate the Magi’s visit to baby Jesus, we children of Italian immigrants were also happily awaiting the arrival o...

UpdatedSat, Jan 2, 2021 at 8:21 am ET Reply (Waterbury UNICO photo) WATERBURY, CT - A virtual event for the whole family is schedule for January 9, 2021 at 1 p.m. via Zoom. Waterbury UNICO, in conjunction with the Silas Bronson Library, is sponsoring the event that is appropriate for ages 3 and up. Join Angela Buzzelli as she enchants us with The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie DePaola. Come learn about the legend of La Befana, an Italian folklore tale about an old woman who delivers gifts to children on Epiphany Eve. After the story, we'll enjoy a musical performance by Vittorio Di Carlo, "Th...