1. TraditionsTraditions
and cookiesand cookies
for St. Martin dayfor St. Martin day

2. St. Martin in VeniceSt. Martin in Venice
(North Italy)(North Italy)
Venetian childrenVenetian children
run through therun through the
city, banging potscity, banging pots
and pans withand pans with
wooden spoons. Itwooden spoons. It
is traditional tois traditional to
reward the childrenreward the children
by giving them aby giving them a
few coins.few coins.

3. These are some of the versesThese are some of the verses
sung by children on St Martin’ssung by children on St Martin’s
day in Venice ( they areday in Venice ( they are in thein the
local dialect (Venetian).local dialect (Venetian).
 Questa xe la sera bela,Questa xe la sera bela,
Che se sta in canton delChe se sta in canton del
fogo,fogo,
Coi maroni atorno, atorno,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,
E con un bon bozzon de vin,E con un bon bozzon de vin,
Farghe viva a San Martin.Farghe viva a San Martin.
 This is the lovely night,This is the lovely night,
When we sit beside theWhen we sit beside the
fire,fire,
With the chestnuts allWith the chestnuts all
around,around,
And a good bottle ofAnd a good bottle of
wine,wine,
To celebrate St MartinTo celebrate St Martin

4. Children used to go around shopsChildren used to go around shops
asking for treats, singing theasking for treats, singing the
following:following:
 Oh che odori de pignata!Oh che odori de pignata!
Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,
Se ne de del bon vinSe ne de del bon vin
cantaremo San Martincantaremo San Martin
S.Martin n'à manda quaS.Martin n'à manda qua
Perché ne fe la caritàPerché ne fe la carità
Anca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaAnca lu, co'l ghe n'aveva
Carità ghe ne faceva.Carità ghe ne faceva.
Fe atenzzion che semo tantiFe atenzzion che semo tanti
E fame gavemo tuti quantiE fame gavemo tuti quanti
Stè atenti a no darne pocoStè atenti a no darne poco
Perché se no stemo qua unPerché se no stemo qua un
toco!toco!
 Oh what smell from the pots!Oh what smell from the pots!
If you eat, good health to you,If you eat, good health to you,
If you give us some goodIf you give us some good
winewine
We will sing St Martin.We will sing St Martin.
St Martin sent us hereSt Martin sent us here
For you to be charitableFor you to be charitable
He too, when he hadHe too, when he had
He was charitable.He was charitable.
Beware, ’cause there areBeware, ’cause there are
many of usmany of us
And we’re all hungryAnd we’re all hungry
Beware of not giving us tooBeware of not giving us too
little,little,
Otherwise we’ll be here for aOtherwise we’ll be here for a
long while!long while!

5. There were two endings to thisThere were two endings to this
song. If they received what theysong. If they received what they
thought was sufficient, they wouldthought was sufficient, they would
end up singing:end up singing:
 E con questo laE con questo la
ringraziemoringraziemo
Del bon animo e del bonDel bon animo e del bon
cuorcuor
Un altro ano ritornaremoUn altro ano ritornaremo
Se ghe piase al bonSe ghe piase al bon
SignorSignor
E col nostro sachetinE col nostro sachetin
Viva, viva S. Martin.Viva, viva S. Martin.
 With this we thank youWith this we thank you
For your generosity andFor your generosity and
good heartgood heart
We’ll come back anotherWe’ll come back another
yearyear
The good Lord’s willingThe good Lord’s willing
And now with our littleAnd now with our little
bagbag
Long live St Martin.Long live St Martin.

6. If they didn’t get what they hopedIf they didn’t get what they hoped
for, they would conclude the songfor, they would conclude the song
this way:this way:
 Tanti ciodi gh'è in staTanti ciodi gh'è in sta
portaporta
Tanti diavoli che veTanti diavoli che ve
portaporta
Tanti ciodi gh'è in stoTanti ciodi gh'è in sto
muromuro
Tanti bruschi veTanti bruschi ve
vegna sul culo.vegna sul culo.
 As many nails are inAs many nails are in
your dooryour door
So many devils maySo many devils may
take youtake you
As many nails thereAs many nails there
are in this wallare in this wall
May you get boils onMay you get boils on
your ass.your ass.

7. Unfortunately, such custom hasUnfortunately, such custom has
nearly disappeared.nearly disappeared.
Remains theRemains the
tradition on the daytradition on the day
to have pastries into have pastries in
the shape of Stthe shape of St
Martin on his horseMartin on his horse
either made ofeither made of
shortcrust pastryshortcrust pastry
covered withcovered with
chocolate.chocolate.

8. Others special cakes depicting St MartinOthers special cakes depicting St Martin
are baked in celebrationare baked in celebration (Venice)(Venice)

9. St.Martin in SicilySt.Martin in Sicily
(South Italy)(South Italy)
 In the area around Palermo, Sicily, theIn the area around Palermo, Sicily, the
phrasephrase "Pan' e vino, San"Pan' e vino, San
Martino"Martino"—"Bread and wine, St. Martin"——"Bread and wine, St. Martin"—
is often heard at this time, in reference tois often heard at this time, in reference to
biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seedbiscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed
flavored biscuits made in the saint'sflavored biscuits made in the saint's
honor, which are customarily eaten byhonor, which are customarily eaten by
dipping them into sweet wine.dipping them into sweet wine.

10. In Sicily there were twoIn Sicily there were two
celebrationscelebrations
 Rich people celebratedRich people celebrated
St. Martin on the 11 th ofSt. Martin on the 11 th of
november.november.
 Poor people have to waitPoor people have to wait
for the first Sunday afterfor the first Sunday after
the feast; many yearsthe feast; many years
ago weekly wage was onago weekly wage was on
saturdaysaturday

11. Poor people celebratedPoor people celebrated
St. Martin with aSt. Martin with a
particular use.particular use.
the St. Martin biscuitthe St. Martin biscuit
““abbagnatu nn'uabbagnatu nn'u
muscatumuscatu”. A typical”. A typical
biscuit calledbiscuit called
sammartinellosammartinello waswas
drenched in a sweetdrenched in a sweet
wine. The poorwine. The poor
biscuit was calledbiscuit was called
alsoalso tricotto,tricotto, the richthe rich
oneone rasco.rasco.

12. TheThe sammartinelli of rich peoplesammartinelli of rich people
were very different: cream, ricotta,were very different: cream, ricotta,
icing sugar and a chocolate on theicing sugar and a chocolate on the
top.top.
Tricotto Rasco

13. TraditionsTraditions
and cookiesand cookies
for St. Martin dayfor St. Martin day

14. St. Martin in VeniceSt. Martin in Venice
(North Italy)(North Italy)
Venetian childrenVenetian children
run through therun through the
city, banging potscity, banging pots
and pans withand pans with
wooden spoons. Itwooden spoons. It
is traditional tois traditional to
reward the childrenreward the children
by giving them aby giving them a
few coins.few coins.

15. These are some of the versesThese are some of the verses
sung by children on St Martin’ssung by children on St Martin’s
day in Venice ( they areday in Venice ( they are in thein the
local dialect (Venetian).local dialect (Venetian).
 Questa xe la sera bela,Questa xe la sera bela,
Che se sta in canton delChe se sta in canton del
fogo,fogo,
Coi maroni atorno, atorno,Coi maroni atorno, atorno,
E con un bon bozzon de vin,E con un bon bozzon de vin,
Farghe viva a San Martin.Farghe viva a San Martin.
 This is the lovely night,This is the lovely night,
When we sit beside theWhen we sit beside the
fire,fire,
With the chestnuts allWith the chestnuts all
around,around,
And a good bottle ofAnd a good bottle of
wine,wine,
To celebrate St MartinTo celebrate St Martin

16. Children used to go around shopsChildren used to go around shops
asking for treats, singing theasking for treats, singing the
following:following:
 Oh che odori de pignata!Oh che odori de pignata!
Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,Se magnè bon pro ve fazza,
Se ne de del bon vinSe ne de del bon vin
cantaremo San Martincantaremo San Martin
S.Martin n'à manda quaS.Martin n'à manda qua
Perché ne fe la caritàPerché ne fe la carità
Anca lu, co'l ghe n'avevaAnca lu, co'l ghe n'aveva
Carità ghe ne faceva.Carità ghe ne faceva.
Fe atenzzion che semo tantiFe atenzzion che semo tanti
E fame gavemo tuti quantiE fame gavemo tuti quanti
Stè atenti a no darne pocoStè atenti a no darne poco
Perché se no stemo qua unPerché se no stemo qua un
toco!toco!
 Oh what smell from the pots!Oh what smell from the pots!
If you eat, good health toIf you eat, good health to
you,you,
If you give us some goodIf you give us some good
winewine
We will sing St Martin.We will sing St Martin.
St Martin sent us hereSt Martin sent us here
For you to be charitableFor you to be charitable
He too, when he hadHe too, when he had
He was charitable.He was charitable.
Beware, ’cause there areBeware, ’cause there are
many of usmany of us
And we’re all hungryAnd we’re all hungry
Beware of not giving us tooBeware of not giving us too
little,little,
Otherwise we’ll be here for aOtherwise we’ll be here for a
long while!long while!

17. There were two endings to thisThere were two endings to this
song. If they received what theysong. If they received what they
thought was sufficient, they wouldthought was sufficient, they would
end up singing:end up singing:
 E con questo laE con questo la
ringraziemoringraziemo
Del bon animo e delDel bon animo e del
bon cuorbon cuor
Un altro anoUn altro ano
ritornaremoritornaremo
Se ghe piase al bonSe ghe piase al bon
SignorSignor
E col nostro sachetinE col nostro sachetin
Viva, viva S. Martin.Viva, viva S. Martin.
 With this we thank youWith this we thank you
For your generosity andFor your generosity and
good heartgood heart
We’ll come backWe’ll come back
another yearanother year
The good Lord’s willingThe good Lord’s willing
And now with our littleAnd now with our little
bagbag
Long live St Martin.Long live St Martin.

18. If they didn’t get what they hopedIf they didn’t get what they hoped
for, they would conclude the songfor, they would conclude the song
this way:this way:
 Tanti ciodi gh'è inTanti ciodi gh'è in
sta portasta porta
Tanti diavoli che veTanti diavoli che ve
portaporta
Tanti ciodi gh'è inTanti ciodi gh'è in
sto murosto muro
Tanti bruschi veTanti bruschi ve
vegna sul culo.vegna sul culo.
 As many nails are inAs many nails are in
your dooryour door
So many devils maySo many devils may
take youtake you
As many nails thereAs many nails there
are in this wallare in this wall
May you get boils onMay you get boils on
your ass.your ass.

19. Unfortunately, such custom hasUnfortunately, such custom has
nearly disappeared.nearly disappeared.
Remains theRemains the
tradition on thetradition on the
day to haveday to have
pastries in thepastries in the
shape of St Martinshape of St Martin
on his horse eitheron his horse either
made of shortcrustmade of shortcrust
pastry coveredpastry covered
with chocolate.with chocolate.

20. Others special cakes depicting StOthers special cakes depicting St
Martin are baked in celebrationMartin are baked in celebration
(Venice)(Venice)

21. St.Martin in SicilySt.Martin in Sicily
(South Italy)(South Italy)
 In the area around Palermo, Sicily, theIn the area around Palermo, Sicily, the
phrasephrase "Pan' e vino, San"Pan' e vino, San
Martino"Martino"—"Bread and wine, St. Martin"——"Bread and wine, St. Martin"—
is often heard at this time, in reference tois often heard at this time, in reference to
biscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seedbiscotti di San Martino, hard, anise-seed
flavored biscuits made in the saint'sflavored biscuits made in the saint's
honor, which are customarily eaten byhonor, which are customarily eaten by
dipping them into sweet wine.dipping them into sweet wine.

22. In Sicily there were twoIn Sicily there were two
celebrationscelebrations
 Rich people celebratedRich people celebrated
St. Martin on the 11 thSt. Martin on the 11 th
of november.of november.
 Poor people have toPoor people have to
wait for the first Sundaywait for the first Sunday
after the feast; manyafter the feast; many
years ago weekly wageyears ago weekly wage
was on saturdaywas on saturday

23. Poor people celebratedPoor people celebrated
St. Martin with aSt. Martin with a
particular use.particular use.
the St. Martin biscuitthe St. Martin biscuit
““abbagnatu nn'uabbagnatu nn'u
muscatumuscatu”. A typical”. A typical
biscuit calledbiscuit called
sammartinellosammartinello waswas
drenched in a sweetdrenched in a sweet
wine. The poor biscuitwine. The poor biscuit
was called alsowas called also tricotto,tricotto,
the rich onethe rich one rasco.rasco.

24. TheThe sammartinelli of rich peoplesammartinelli of rich people
were very different: cream, ricotta,were very different: cream, ricotta,
icing sugar and a chocolate on theicing sugar and a chocolate on the
top.top.
Tricotto Rasco