tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post4044231567825132063..comments2023-04-26T16:52:19.465+02:00Comments on At Home in Rome: Sulmona: Land of Candy-Coated AlmondsShelley - At Home in Romehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852984952753737225noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-60423129612161858432007-06-03T08:34:00.000+02:002007-06-03T08:34:00.000+02:00Jamie, Thanks for the info. I did eventually put t...Jamie, Thanks for the info. I did eventually put the number down to five in each container... Confetti Pelino are excellent and we also love the guy in the shop in Sulmona, so friendly! Hope your work sends you to visit Italy every once in a while :-)Shelley - At Home in Romehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07852984952753737225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-19378976242748972582007-06-02T17:32:00.000+02:002007-06-02T17:32:00.000+02:00If I can comment on the 5 confetti topic - the fiv...If I can comment on the 5 confetti topic - the five confetti are used to represent wishes for health, wealth, longevity, fertility and happiness. Odd numbers are considered lucky and even numbers unlucky for both italians and greeks (who have the same tradition with the almonds and favors).<BR/><BR/>I am Jamie, and I am the US representative of Confetti Pelino mentioned in the blog. Happy to answer any other questions. You can reach me at info@confettipelino.com.<BR/><BR/>I LOVE your blog....truly captures the essence of italian wedding traditions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-36834343137800307122007-02-28T18:18:00.000+01:002007-02-28T18:18:00.000+01:00Shelley, I love your blog! In Hungary, when you gi...Shelley, I love your blog! In Hungary, when you give someone flowers, it has to be an odd number; I wonder if "indivisible" is the reason why (as in, our friendship is indivisible)? No one has been able to tell me why yet! <BR/><BR/>I was married in Budapest last year and had to laugh as I read this post. Who knows how many traditions we broke? Who knows how many are still talking about it? But my husband is the family's black sheep and I'm a foreigner, so they let a lot slip by! :-)<BR/><BR/>PS - I found your blog from your post on "As the Romans Do" & while I first breezed through it and more or less enjoyed it (it was "book candy"), I will have to go back and look at it from your point of view. I'm paranoid now about generalizations on my own blog! I think though that making generalizations is part of putting a new world in a context that you can understand, and the next level of understanding is seeing where you were wrong in your assumptions. That said, you would think Epstein would have been to that next level. <BR/><BR/>Cheers, and congratulations on your marriage!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-63404617181020545742007-02-28T08:53:00.000+01:002007-02-28T08:53:00.000+01:00You guys are so funny! I'm glad I made you laugh. ...You guys are so funny! I'm glad I made you laugh. I'm still half-ashamed that I took 3 candies out of every box, but in the end, take Susan as an example... people, she's not exaggerating! That could have been me! ;-)Shelley - At Home in Romehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07852984952753737225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-581853689509242822007-02-28T05:38:00.000+01:002007-02-28T05:38:00.000+01:00Can't wait to see photos of, and read about your w...Can't wait to see photos of, and read about your wedding. <BR/><BR/>I love those flowers, they are so cute.Me and Himhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06774479286557369955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-39202163888257023852007-02-27T22:20:00.000+01:002007-02-27T22:20:00.000+01:00Even though I am deathly allergic to almonds, I st...Even though I am deathly allergic to almonds, I still want to eat one of those flowers.<BR/>What is wrong with me?African Kellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350447523434665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-39776924106866906702007-02-27T19:20:00.000+01:002007-02-27T19:20:00.000+01:00Shelley this post had me laughing out loud at the ...Shelley this post had me laughing out loud at the internet cafe. I'm sure the man next to me wants to know what is so funny. <BR/><BR/>ci vediamo presto.nyc/caribbean ragazzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09370358466131415888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-29712404137482759132007-02-27T18:43:00.000+01:002007-02-27T18:43:00.000+01:00Oh, Shelley, I giggled all the through this post! ...Oh, Shelley, I giggled all the through this post! I can so relate! Though I was married in RI, both my husband and I are Italian. And the "rules" were endless. I opted against the candy-coated almonds (I never could stomach them and went with chocolates instead). I think half the older women who attended the wedding still hold it against me, and it's been 11 years. ;)Susan from Food Bloggahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11034518858688958369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-55541532406918129692007-02-27T10:37:00.000+01:002007-02-27T10:37:00.000+01:00Wow, the confetti thing is a precice art. But for ...Wow, the confetti thing is a precice art. But for example, Stonians have same kind of number magic going on concerning flowers, and yes, they also have to be an uneven number, of which 3, 5, 7 are preferred. Congrats on the upcoming event!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-42322111557957919162007-02-27T10:36:00.000+01:002007-02-27T10:36:00.000+01:00ok, Yet Another Opinion on the 5 confetti thing. I...ok, Yet Another Opinion on the 5 confetti thing. <BR/><BR/>In the theory I know each one represents something good for the couple: good health, richness, long life, fertility and happyness.<BR/><BR/>And don't forget golden and silver confettis, for golden and silver wedding (25 and 50 years of marriage) :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-7079731618580013302007-02-27T10:34:00.000+01:002007-02-27T10:34:00.000+01:00Shelley, I feel your pain. I too planned a wedding...Shelley, I feel your pain. I too planned a wedding here and I think it was during that time I began to truly hate the phrases "Non si fa!" and "Si fa COSI'" My take on the wedding thing was that I am NOT Italian (how presumptuous and insensitive some people can be) and the wedding was the bringing together of two cultures, so we would do things OUR way come hell or high water. People insisted that guests (meaning the Italians; hello, Americans were coming too) would be scandalized that we weren't going to chain them to the tables for 12 hours for a multi-course meal. I did a sit-down/buffet mix, and everyone seemed happy to be up and moving about the whole night (maybe too happy - some extramarital lovin' supposedly took place under a tree somewhere during the dessert buffet). I crammed as many confetti as would fit in mini Chinese takeout boxes with NO baby's breath (this was another battle). If anyone asks, say that in America we put 8 confetti. It shuts them up.Michellaneahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13217345553078878421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-38329734493358733582007-02-27T10:04:00.000+01:002007-02-27T10:04:00.000+01:00Some tips:- for 25 years of marriage, silver confe...Some tips:<BR/>- for 25 years of marriage, silver confetti<BR/>- for 50 years of marriage, gold confetti<BR/>For Baptism, there're three confetti because of the Father, Son and Holy Gosth<BR/>I'd like to see your bomboniere, me too!<BR/>Good luck for the arrangements of the wedding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-69289224805008118682007-02-27T08:58:00.000+01:002007-02-27T08:58:00.000+01:00Oh wow! "Tutti di confetti" indeed. I've only seen...Oh wow! "Tutti di confetti" indeed. I've only seen the pink and white almonds, I didn't know they came in all those colours and were used for something other than weddings. Thanks for the great information.<BR/><BR/>And I LOVE that confette peacock. Just imagine 100 or so of those guys filling up a room.christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991148606497381478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-5093104035827419832007-02-27T08:25:00.000+01:002007-02-27T08:25:00.000+01:00But where's the photo of your little bomboniere? ...But where's the photo of your little bomboniere? The chocolate almond confetti are wonderful, btw. Sulmona is charming place. Glad you got the whole good luck thing straightened out. Phew. Who knew the secret to marital success was rooted in the number of confetti in the packet?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-3278340960210734722007-02-27T03:18:00.000+01:002007-02-27T03:18:00.000+01:00Ciao Shelley,I have arrived to your blog from Liui...Ciao Shelley,<BR/>I have arrived to your blog from Liuia's. In Argentina we have italian and spanish traditions and we eat "confites" or "´peladillas" in Christmas :)<BR/>I'm a knitter too; there are nice yarns in Italy.<BR/><BR/>Regards from Buenos AiresGabyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01831581709318813652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-56061906086835657232007-02-27T00:14:00.000+01:002007-02-27T00:14:00.000+01:00Ciao Shelley,I have been waiting for this post abo...Ciao Shelley,<BR/><BR/>I have been waiting for this post about the confetti. You have outdone yourself! You are so funny & informative in how you deliver your message. I had no idea they give them out for graduation too. I've been missing out on the collection!<BR/><BR/>I remember having to make all those bombonieri here in the States, although molto semplice compared to the extravagant ones in Italia. See, even some of us who left have to carry on tradition. The only difference here is that gli invitati are so happy to receive them. <BR/><BR/>I'm glad you're surrendering slowly to le tradizioni, why fight it or try to make sense of it. Hang in there, it's going to be a beautiful wedding and I will surely miss your postings as the time nears.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-68219178891666527402007-02-26T22:54:00.000+01:002007-02-26T22:54:00.000+01:00Linked from Amy's OpenBook, http://amywelborn.type...Linked from Amy's OpenBook, <BR/>http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2007/02/rome1300.html#comments<BR/>where I noted the Orthodox also use Jordan almonds in celebrations including Lent! <BR/><BR/>Please forgive me if my "trivial pursuits" kind-of-response to the issue of odd numbers seems like too much information, but reverence for odd numbers goes W-A-Y back, eg St. Augustine wrote in the 4thC:<BR/><BR/>"And at the same time we must bear in mind the meaning of the phrase, "replenish the earth." Marriage replenishes the earth, virginity fills Paradise. This too we must observe, at least if we would faithfully follow the Hebrew, that while Scripture on the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth days relates that, having finished the works of each, "God saw that it was good," on the second day it omitted this altogether, leaving us to understand that two is not a good number because it destroys unity, and prefigures the marriage compact. Hence it was that all the animals which Noah took into the ark by pairs were unclean. Odd numbers denote cleanness. And yet by the double number is represented another mystery: that not even in beasts and unclean birds is second marriage approved. For unclean animals went in two and two, and clean ones by sevens, so that Noah after the flood might be able to immediately offer to God sacrifices from the latter."<BR/>from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/30091.htmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-52278365457006187062007-02-26T20:36:00.000+01:002007-02-26T20:36:00.000+01:00Your blog is a wealth of information Shelley! I k...Your blog is a wealth of information Shelley! I knew nothing about the number of confetti or the colour schemes! <BR/><BR/>Great choice about the chocolate confetti. Much tastier.<BR/><BR/>BTW shame you didn't go for the peacock confetti. ;)Delinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03318448281699620966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-49811607973614240502007-02-26T17:04:00.000+01:002007-02-26T17:04:00.000+01:00Hi! I'm a newbie here, I've been reading you since...Hi! I'm a newbie here, I've been reading you since I found the gorgeous Nutella day post ^^.<BR/>Here in Spain we also give out confetti in celebrations (specially at baptisms), they're called "peladillas" and they're almost always white -but there's no problem with numbers as far as I know... Well, I can't remember my own baptism ;).<BR/>We eat peladillas in Christmas mostly, anyway ^^.<BR/>Auguri! ^^liuia drusillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00954091107499286273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-16271682968229869942007-02-26T15:13:00.000+01:002007-02-26T15:13:00.000+01:00Ok, ok... va bene, va bene... I surrender to tradi...Ok, ok... va bene, va bene... I surrender to tradition!<BR/><BR/>Luckily I discovered I could just slip the ribbon off without untying it, remove the dangerous extra 3 confetti, and slip the ribbon back on without anyone ever having to know the difference. Fatto.<BR/><BR/>But I'm still being a little deviant: some of the confetti are filled with chocolate instead of almonds. Ale wanted them and so tradition can go by the wayside on that one...Shelley - At Home in Romehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07852984952753737225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-88738140065373794622007-02-26T14:43:00.000+01:002007-02-26T14:43:00.000+01:00A lovely post and wonderful photos! At weddings in...A lovely post and wonderful photos! At weddings in Africa with my Afrikaans family we had sugared almonds too. <BR/><BR/>They had to be pink and white and there had to be 5, tied in a little tulle bag with a ribbon around the top. I wonder if the number is a tradition inherited from the Italians?<BR/><BR/>Thanks so much for sharing. Now, if any of my boys ever marry an Italian girl I will know just what to do!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-33567648800389251412007-02-26T13:57:00.000+01:002007-02-26T13:57:00.000+01:00I used confetti from Pelino, too!!! Small world. W...I used confetti from Pelino, too!!! Small world. We should have chatted before, I found out about that 5 confetti thing. :) This was at the California wedding so no one really cared, but I put a little note inside explaining why there was 5 ;)<BR/><BR/>It's getting closer!!Sara, Ms Adventures in Italyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05895074987792773887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33381120.post-33179541765718981352007-02-26T13:33:00.000+01:002007-02-26T13:33:00.000+01:00Oh I loved this post! 5 confetti each! So funny....Oh I loved this post! 5 confetti each! So funny. So... that explains why my mother in law insisted on five confetti each. (Like you I thought there was plenty room for more in each little package)! Luckily, I went with the flow. Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials.Amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12681908310177019462noreply@blogger.com