`book Of Dreams' Brightens Holidays 
Generosity Helps Those In 
Need See A Better Future 
********************* 
Photo 
Times Leader/lewis Geyer

Hanukkah Celebration 
Is Steeped In Tradition 
"eight Nights, Eight Lights," Goes The Saying About The Jewish Feast Of 
Dedication, Also Known As Hanukkah.

Thursday, December 24, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1D QUICK WORDS: CHRISTMAS ITALY ENGLOT
SICILY 





KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE -- Stephen Englot, of Swoyersville, lifts up his
5-year-old daughter, Sabrina, so she can place an ornament on the top of their
Christmas tree. The family stresses the religious and traditional side of the
holidays. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ********************************* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By LEANORA MINAI &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Times Leader Staff Writer &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 SWOYERSVILLE -- Hurling old furniture out a window is a Sicilian New Year's
Eve tradition Maria Englot will never forget. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You throw out the old to welcome the new," said Englot, who married a
Ukrainian 12 years ago and now lives in Swoyersville with her three children.
"Some people were hurt because they were hit on the head." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Englot, whose father died when she was a youngster, was raised by her
mother and grandmother in the village of San Cataldo in the center of Sicily. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1968, Englot's aunt, Sarah Torregrossa, married a Pittston man and the
family moved from Sicily to the Wyoming Valley. It was here that Maria married
Stephen Englot, director of computer services for Pennsylvania Gas and Water
Co. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Englot's holiday customs celebrate saints and take on a festive, almost
carnival atmosphere with feasts, bagpipes, bingo and card games. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The real celebration is the birth of Jesus. In Sicily, Englot's mom set up
a manger scene, not a Christmas tree, and placed a baby Jesus doll in the
creche Christmas day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Here, Englot bakes a cake for baby Jesus, and the family sings happy
birthday Christmas day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "As a grown-up today Christmas has more religious meaning than it had
before," Englot said. "Today I celebrate Christmas because it's the birth of
Jesus Christ." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 s a grown-up today Christmas has more religious meaning than it had before.
Today I celebrate Christmas because it's the birth of Jesus Christ. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maria Englot &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Swoyersville resident, born in Sicily &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Christmas lasts three weeks -- a period called Novena -- and starts eight
days before Christmas day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's a time when children travel from home to home, business to business,
singing carols for coins. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Men walk the countryside playing bagpipes. Churches and homes display
elaborate presepios or manger scenes, the primary Italian Christmas
decoration. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Meanwhile, in each house, families like the Englots observe Santa Lucia by
inviting poor children in the neighborhood home to eat cuccia, a thick, wheat
soup with olive oil for dipping crusts of bread. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The biggest night of the year is Dec. 24. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I had a lot of cousins," Englot said. "We were very close. All my cousins
would come over to my grandmother's house. We would eat supper and play
cards." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Supper is fish, no meat. Fried calamari, fried baccala, baked sardines,
fish soup. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Englots open presents on Christmas, but they save gifts for Jan. 6, the
Epiphany, to keep the tradition of Lady Befana. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Legend says Befana, a benevolent witch who jumps down chimneys to fill
children's shoes with goodies, was sweeping her house when the three Kings
asked her if she wanted to find baby Jesus with them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Befana begged them to wait because she needed to finish her chores, but
they left without her. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now children believe Befana goes from house to house searching for the
Christ child and leaving presents and candy behind. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Italian traditions have become as much a part of Stephen Englot's holiday
season as Ukrainian customs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I think the Ukrainian celebration was quiet and solemn," he said. "The
Italian was festive with many children around the house." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This Christmas Eve, the Englots' children, Dario, 11, Sonia, 8, and
Sabrina, 5, will play Tombola, bingo and Siciliane Modiano, cards with their
parents and friends, maybe until 4 a.m. like in the old country. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TRIMMED HERE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As for New Year's Eve, the Englots won't observe the traditional throwing
out of furniture. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Instead, Englot may shout "Buon Anno" or "Happy New Year" out the windows,
like she did when she was a kid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We couldn't wait," Englot said. "As soon as midnight came, we opened the
windows and screamed."

Season Of Beginning To A Woman From Sicily, Christmas Is Time To Look Ahead ********************************* Photo Times Leader/care Menichelli