La Befana vien di Notte, cone le scarpe ...

The Befana comes by night, with her shoes...

In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Santa Claus or the Three Wise Men; she is a figure connected to the Italian Christmas season. In Christmas folklore, Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their stockings with sweets, candy, dried fruit, and toys if they have behaved well. Otherwise, those who have behaved badly find their stockings filled with coal or garlic. In many poorer parts of Italy, a stick was placed in a stocking instead of coal. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before leaving. For some, "sweeping away" means sweeping away the troubles of the year. She is usually depicted as a witch flying on a broomstick, wearing a black shawl, and covered in soot because she enters children's homes through the chimney. She often smiles and carries a bag, sack, or basket full of candy, gifts, or both. Source Wikipedia
Back to blog