La Befana Day | Mama Lisa's World Blog

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In Italy, on January 6th, Befana Comes with Gifts for Kids for the Epiphany

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2006

“Befana” is Italian for “Epiphany”. It’s also the name of a character from an interesting legend that strongly influenced the Italian traditions for celebrating this holiday.

On their way to deliver gifts to the baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men came across a woman named Befana. They asked her to come with them, but she refused, saying she had too much housework to do. Later she realized she was wrong. She ran off with her broom in search of the Magi, bearing her own presents for the baby Jesus. But she never caught up to them. It’s said that Befana is still searching for the baby Jesus.

In Italy, it’s Befana, and not Santa Claus, who goes around giving gifts to all the children, in imitation of the Three Wise men bringing gifts to Jesus.

Befana looks like a friendly witch, with a mole on her face and in tattered clothes. She flies on a broom and goes down the chimneys to deliver gifts to all the children.

Here’s a nursery song children chant in Italy for La Befana in Italian and with an English translation…

La Befana vien di notte

La Befana vien di notte
con le scarpe tutte rotte
col cappello alla romana
viva viva la Befana!

The Befana Comes at Night

The Befana comes at night
In worn out shoes
Dressed like a Roman
Long live the Befana!

Happy Befana Day!

Lisa

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