Festa Della Donna

You have to love Italy because Italy loves its women. That is, as long as showing that love is not too expensive.

March 8th is considered the Festa della Donna- International Women's Day. It is an international holiday celebrated almost everywhere...except the U.S. As an American, I had never heard of it before moving here.

First, a little history on Festa della Donna. Because I can't tell you how many times my dear suocera Savina has asked me why Americans don't celebrate Festa della Donna. "Come mai?" (Why not?) she'll shriek with wide eyes, as if I just told her that no one in America eats pasta. According to Wikipedia, "among other historic events, it came to commemorate the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire." This event was "one of the largest industrial disasters in the history of New York City, causing the death of 146 garment workers, almost all of them women who either died from the fire or jumped from the fatal height. Most women could not escape the burning building because the managers would lock the doors to the stairwells and exits to keep the workers from taking cigarette breaks outdoors during their shifts." To my American friends- did you know this bit about our history? Sometimes I feel like I must have not paid attention in school because bits of history like this about my own country have either completely slipped my memory or I wasn't taught it.

What started out as a political holiday has simply turned into a holiday for men to show their appreciation of the women in their lives. They do this by giving their special woman a mazzo di mimose. You can see this flower pictured above. So how is this holiday different from Valentine's Day you might ask? Well, I have a theory on that.

I did an informal poll with all the Italian men I encountered around Valentine's Day this year. I asked each one the same question: "Che cosa hai fatto di bello per tua moglie per il giorno di San Valentino?" (What good thing did you do for your wife for Valentine's Day?) The responses I received were surprising. One of the older guys I run with, Carlo, said, "Le ho dato un bacio." (I gave a kiss). He apparently doesn't believe in St. Valentine's Day. The men at the store where I frequent everyday for bread said they didn't believe in St. Valentine's Day either because apparently San Valentino wasn't a real saint. Well, that is, he is not recognized in the Catholic calendar of saints. Yea, okay, good excuse. And then my suocero....well he bought a cake for Savina after my sister-in-law told him too.

Please note my husband is not included in the above survey. Lui e' bravo. He is one of the few Italian men who embraces Valentine's Day. Probably because I start reminding him a month in advance so he realizes how important it is to me. I even start suggesting gift ideas. Because I know, it's a commercialized holiday- yes. And I know roses and chocolate tend to double in price close to Valentine's Day (what a rip-off). But you know what doesn't double in price? VESTITI o SCARPE o BORSE! (CLOTHES or SHOES or PURSES!) Celebrating love is important so why not say "I love you" with clothes? Or a nice purse? Last year he bought me a beautiful maroon purse from Furla. This year, a beautiful, black wool coat. But according to my informal survey, he is the exception and not the rule here in Italy. Io sono una moglie fortunata (I am a lucky wife).

So my theory is this: although it's not an Italian holiday, Festa dalla Donna has become very popular in Italy. I think the reason it is popular is because Italian men try to avoid St. Valentine's Day celebrations at all costs. So by the time March 8th rolls around, their wives are pretty mad. As a result, Italian men embrace la Festa dalla Donna with open arms and run out to their nearest supermercato or fiorista to buy a bel mazzo di mimose for the woman in their life. And why not? A bunch of mimose cost 2.50 euros while roses cost 4 euros EACH on Valentine's Day.

So Italian men have learned how to save money- deny St. Valentine's Day exists and embrace la Festa della Donna. Hopefully for the sake of American women this holiday will stay on this side of the pond.