What is Epiphany and La Befana?

6 January is known as the Epiphany across the world, but for Italian children its main significance is the celebration known as “La Befana”. Traditionally, this is the day that an elderly, witchlike woman visits houses, leaving presents for well-behaved children – a second Christmas of sorts.

How is Epiphany and La Befana celebrated?

In Italy, good children receive gifts not only on Christmas, but also on January 6^th, in celebration of the Epiphany. Usually candies and small toys, these are whimsically said to be brought by La Befana, a kindly witch riding a broomstick. For naughty children she leaves just a lump of coal.

What does the Epiphany mean in Italian?

Epiphany in Italy is synonym with a magical character called Befana, who makes its appearance on on this day or, should I say, in the night between the 5th and 6th of January.

Why is La Befana holiday celebrated?

Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas period and commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi, or three wise men. The celebration of the Epiphany began in the Eastern Church and included a celebration of Christ's birth.

What is January 6th called in Italy?

The Feast of the Epiphany, an important post-Christmas date on the Christian calendar, is celebrated on January 6 as a national holiday in Italy. The tradition of La Befana, who arrives on the Epiphany, plays a big part in Italian Christmas celebrations.

Epiphany and La Befana

What does La Befana mean in Italian?

In Italian folklore, the Befana (pronounced [beˈfaːna]) 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 Magi Kings.

What is the story of La Befana?

Befana is said to be an old woman and many refer to her as a witch, who visits all the children in Italy on the eve of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6. She fills the children's stockings full of either candy or coal, depending on their behaviour the year before.

How does Poland celebrate the Epiphany?

Epiphany is a big celebration in many places in Poland, featuring street parades, caroling of songs, and reenactments of the Nativity scene. The street parades usually involve a procession of the 3 wise men who give people candy and small treats in some towns and cities.

What do Italian eat on the Epiphany?

The most typical food eaten on Epiphany in Italy is sweets, including focaccia of the Epiphany. This is a cake that has a fava bean placed inside it; the one who finds this dry bean will have very good fortune throughout the year.

Why is the 6th of January Epiphany?

What is Epiphany? Epiphany - also known as Three Kings' Day - is a Christian festival, which starts on 6 January. It is a special date in the Christmas story as it's when people celebrate how a star led the Magi - also known as the Three kings or the Wise Men - to visit the baby Jesus after he had been born.

How do you celebrate La Befana?

How is La Befana celebrated in Italy? The socks that the Befana fills up with treats or, for “bad kids”, with coal. For adults, La Befana is a chance to enjoy a day off work, usually at home with the family. It marks the end of an extended holiday season – one last moment of rest and relaxation before the year begins.

What is Santa called in Italy?

For children in Italy, the jolly man bearing gifts is called Babbo Natale -- he's an Italian version of Father Christmas, but rarely found in the southern half of Italy. "Babbo Natale is really someone who came from the northern part of Europe," said Betta Alinovi.

Do you say happy La Befana?

“La Befana” is usually portrayed as an ugly-looking old witch, so a gentleman should never wish Happy Befana Day to a woman. That would get you an angry look if you are lucky, and a threat to be fed coal if not.

What do you leave out for La Befana?

Being a nice old witch (albeit not much to look at), La Befana is also said to sweep the floor for you. You in exchange are required to leave out a little glass of wine for her, which seems only fair really. La Befana is said to have been doing her housework when the 3 Wisemen passed by her house.

What is a special saying on La Befana?

As a dialect proverb says, “Dopo le sante feste de Natal, le santissime de carnaval!” (After the holy feasts of Christmas, the most holy ones of carnival!) con le toppe alla sottana: Viva, viva la Befana! Hurray, Hurray, la Befana!

What do people do on the Epiphany in Italy?

The people of Florence also celebrate the Epiphany with the annual Cavalcade of the Magi, a re-enactment of the arrival of the Magi (Three Wise Men) while in Montescaglioso, in the Matera region in Southern Italy, figures dressed in black, with big bushy beards, parade through the streets on 5 January with lighted ...

Do Polish celebrate 3 Kings day?

In many countries, including Poland, the Feast of Epiphany is known as Three Kings' Day. Epiphany is celebrated with a wide array of customs in Poland. Poles take small boxes containing chalk, a gold ring, incense and a piece of amber, in memory of the gifts of the Magi, to church to be blessed.

How do you say Happy Epiphany?

What is the most important holiday in Poland?

In Poland, a Catholic country, Easter is one of the most important holidays.

Why is La Befana a witch?

She's affectionately known as “the Christmas witch”, due to her costume and association with Sabine, who was sometimes referred to as a good witch, and protector of children. In fact, Befana is not technically a witch at all, although she has some obvious characteristics of fairytale witches.

Why did Befana leave gifts?

According to the Italian legend, La Befana, a witch-like woman riding on a broom, refused to join the Wise Men on their journey to see the baby Jesus. When she regrets her decision, she sets out to bring gifts to the Child but never finds him. Instead, she leaves gifts for other children.

What is Christmas called in Italy?

Christmas in Italy (in Italian: Natale) begins on December 8, with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the day on which traditionally the Christmas tree is mounted and ends on January 6, of the following year with the Epiphany (in Italian: Epifania).

Do Italians still celebrate La Befana?

La Befana, which coincides with the feast of the Epiphany on 6 January, is an annual public holiday across Italy. Italians celebrate the religious feast of the Epiphany, or the more popular folklore version of La Befana, on 6 January which falls on a Thursday in 2022.

How is Epiphany celebrated in Mexico?

Dia de los Reyes is the day that the southern Mexican and most Latin American cultures exchange gifts. It's a very festive day filled with extended families visiting, games, and for the children, Los Tres Reyes Magos (the Three Wise Men) bring gifts to hide in their shoes.

What are some symbols of La Befana?

In the same way as those mythological figures, also the Befana flies. La Befana is an old and ugly woman because she represents the end of the year. In fact, one of her symbols is the broom. She uses to sweep all the past things away, preparing a clean space for the new ones.