Happy Septuagesima

Yesterday morning, I went to St. Peter's for Mass at 7am.  And while I was in the neighborhood, I sent some letters through the Vatican Post, and took pictures of the outdoor Nativity scene, donated by the faithful in Basilicata, in northern Italy.  This year's is so much prettier than what had been there the past couple of years.  And, since it's up for the Christmas season, there's still time to visit it before next Saturday.  An odd thing this year, though, is that Septuagesima, with the start of the Easter cycle, comes before the Presentation, which ends the Christmas cycle.
Yesterday afternoon, I listened to the Vatican Radio, and heard an interview about the roots of Carnevale, so started thinking of that post-Christmas tradition in Rome, and was sure it had started once I went out to go shopping, and saw confetti scattered all over the cobblestone streets.  Earlier in the day, there hadn't been any confetti there.  And the confetti is tossed all over the streets of Rome for the entire Carnevale season, and even into Lent.  Now, I already knew that Carnevale is over on Mardi Gras.  That "Carne-vale"--"farewell meat" is intended as a preparation for Lent by ridding one's house of the fats and meats one does not get to eat come Ash Wednesday.  But I hadn't thought of when it started officially.  So, seeing the confetti appear on the streets yesterday afternoon made me think it had officially kicked off, even though we're still in the Christmas season.
I looked it up, and found that Carnevale coincides with Septuagesima.  That's why it's started.  As the sun began to set last night (as in first Vespers), the confetti began to fly.  This morning as I walked along the Via del Corso after Mass, I saw children in full face-paint.  Yesterday evening in the store I saw traditional fried cookies.  There's no doubt about it, Carnevale has begun.
Happy Septuagesima!