L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2013 L'Italo-Americano Dear Readers, Christmas is coming and in many Italian language classes, throughout the United States, teachers present a Christmas program for parents and friends to showcase the language learning or the Italian cultural enrichment that has taken place since their child enrolled. Some simple program favorites a reenactment of "The Legend of the Befana" (based on a retelling by Tomie de Paola), on Tony's Bread (the story of how a poor baker, one day became the most famous baker in all Northern Italy, married the wealthy Serafina and during the wedding, crowds cheered and called for the "pane di Tonio", Tony's bread). To this day the panettone of Milano is eaten and enjoyed, especially at Christmas usually followed by slices of cake, being passed on a platter for the guests to taste, following the program or singing Christmas songs and reciting poems in English and Italian like: Befana is coming... Befana is coming, she is coming. She comes down from the mountain in the deep darkness of the night. How tired she is! Snow, frost and icy winds are around her. Befana is coming, she is coming. *** Viene, Viene la befana... (Italian)
 V iene viene la befana he could give the blue hat a try. 
But he turned around and went back to the store and changed from the blue hat to his red hat once more'. 
 D eer: 'Santa! An imposter was here. A silly old man who said he was you. Now everyone knows Santa never wears blue!". * * * Un berretto nuovo per Babbo Natale.
 In un giorno d'inverno gelido e nebbioso Babbo Natale decise di recarsi a fare spese essendo il suo berretto divenuto logoro e oleoso. Ne voleva acquistare uno nuovo, tipo marchese. Babbo Natale: "La prego di mostrarmi un bel berretto rosso", disse al commesso premuroso "perch'io indossar questo più non posso essendo diventato lacero e rugoso". Commesso: "Sfortunatamente, caro Babbo Natale, tutti i berretti rossi furon venduti ed ora guardi questi... mica male, ci son tanti bei colori... mai venduti". "Abbiamo un berretto tutto giallo" (yellow) ma Babbo Natale scuote il capo e dice "No, no!"
 "Abbiamo un berretto tutto verde (green) ma Babbo Natale scuote il capo e dice "No, no!"
 "Abbiamo un berretto tutto arancione (orange) ma Babbo Natale scuote il capo dice: "No, no!"
 "Abbiamo un berretto tutto nero (black) ma Babbo Natale scuote il capo e dice: "No, no!" "Abbiamo un berretto tutto viola (violet) ma Babbo Natale scuote il capo e dice "No, no!"
 
 v ien dai monti a notte fonda. 
 C om'e' stanca! la circonda 
neve, gelo e tramontana. Viene viene la befana * * * I would like to add my favorite "A New Hat for Santa" which using paper triangles, in different colors with a cotton ball pasted on the end, to represent Santa's hat, can serve to review color words, or provide choral speaking practice, acted out or just read as a story by teachers or parents to any "bambini" in their care:
 A New Hat For Santa
 Santa went shopping one cold winter day. For his jolly red hat had started fray.
 S anta: 'Please show me a hat' he said to the clerk.
 ' I must buy a hat then get on with my work' 
Clerk: 'Oh Santa, we have noting more in red. Why not another nice color instead?' (Clerk here shows different color hats).
 Santa: 'There is nothing bright, there is nothing gay. Is this all you have? These hats on display?' 
Clerk: 'I have one that is as blue as the sky, here Mr. Santa will you give it a try?'
Santa: 'Yes, dear clerk it is as blue as the sky. I think this is the hat I will buy'
 Choir: 'Santa ran to his sleigh and to his deer gave a shout: But instead of obeying the deer turned about' 
Deer: 'Get off, get off. Our driver wears red. You'll have to get off...take the next sleigh instead'.
 Choir: 'Poor Santa he sighed, a tear came to his eye. He wished www.italoamericano.com Babbo Natale: "Non ha niente di brillante? Non ha niente di gioioso? Di quel che ho veduto non mi piace niente, non ha qualcosa di grandioso?"
 Commesso: "Sì, abbiamo un berretto azzurro (light blue) del color del cielo in primavera.Lo provi, le starà bene son sincero".
 Babbo Natale: "Son d'accordo con lei, è il color del cielo questo, forse potrà andar bene, dovrebbe tenermi caldo anche nel gelo. Prenderò questo per non soffrire pene".
 Papà Natale salì sulla slitta ma le renne si misero a strillare girando il capo a dritta e a manca, proprio non se la sentivano d'andare.
 Renne: "Vattene via! 47 Vattene via! Il nostro guidator ha il berretto rosso, star con te sarebbe un'agonia. Lascia la slitta o ti buttiamo nel fosso".
 Babbo Natale sospirò dolente, mentre sulle guance una lacrima scendea, il berretto azzurro non valeva proprio niente, al negozio il commesso il rosso gli rendea. Coro: "Caro Babbo Natale, un impostor qui è venuto per prendere il tuo posto. Aveva il berretto blu, di sicuro non eri tu...era uno sciocco. Ti vogliam bene, Babbo Natale, non lasciarci più". * * * BUON NATALE A TUTTI!
 Grazie, Tony Ghezzo for translating the poem so it would rhyme in Italian too... * * *

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