The last three days of January are traditionally the coldest of the year. In North Italy, this period is known as the "three days of the blackbird", I giorni della merla.
According to the legend, in the ancient times blackbirds were all white. One year, a very rigid January fell over Milan, covering the city with snow and ice. A family of blackbird, two parents with three children, was risking of freezing to death. The father decided to go looking for food, and the mother, left alone, moved the nest inside a chimney to find a little warm for herself and the chicks. They had to hide for three freezing days, the last of the month, and eventually came out when February brought a bit of sunshine. The father also returned with some food but he almost did not recognise his family: in that moment they realized that the smoke of the chimney had turned all their feathers black. From that day, blackbirds are no more white, and the last three days of January can predict about the weather of all the year. In fact, people believe that if 29, 30 and 31 of January are not very cold, spring will start late and will not be warm.
Other local legends are related to the end of the winter. The feast of the Giöbia (dialect for Giubiana, a witch
named from Giovedì, Thursday) is celebrated in the town of Busto Arsizio on the last Thursday of January. During the night, several puppets shaped as ancient women are burnt in town to propitiate the end of the winter and the starting of spring. Polenta e bruscitti, cornmeal porridge served with minched meat, is still the traditional dinner, together with fritters and chiacchiere.
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| The puppet of the witch Giobia |
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| Sweet chiacchiere |
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