What is onomastico?
Today’s word is for the Italian anniversary you didn’t even know you had. Congratulations: in Italy, you might get an extra excuse to party each year. Along with your birthday, the other day you get to celebrate is your onomastico, or ‘name day’.
How is L onomastico celebrated in Italy?
It is celebrated like that of a birthday – with homemade or store-bought pastries and un pensierino (a small gift), such as a bouquet of flowers or a houseplant, accompanied by wishes of “Buon onomastico” or “Tanti auguri di Buon onomastico” or simply “auguri”.
How old is the tradition of onomastico?
In the case of multiple given names, the child will celebrate only one, usually the first. In South Italy, the onomastico is given a much higher relevance, and sometimes it is considered more important than the birthday itself.
Where did the Onomastico originate?
This term originated from the Greek verb “onomazein”, which means “to call by name”. This word has a strong religious background and is a common custom in many catholic countries. When a newborn child comes to the world they usually give him/her a saint’s name. Every year they celebrate its name day.
What is Il Bel Paese?
Bel paese (or Belpaese, IPA: [ˌbɛl paˈeːse, -eːze]) is the classical poetical appellative for Italy, meaning the “beautiful country” in Italian, due to its mild weather, cultural heritage and natural endowment. …
Where did the onomastico originate?
Why do Italians celebrate name days more than birthdays?
Nowadays, many Italians celebrate their “name-day” or as they call it “onomastico”. The girl’s onomastico day and birthday would be on this date. This tradition originates from Medieval times when name day was more important than the birthday. Some people think that it’s only a pagan tradition.
What is a name day in Hispanic culture?
In these cases, people have a ‘santo’ (name day), which is the day of the saint that they were named after. People can celebrate their name days as if they are birthdays.