La Befana - The Good Witch that brings you gifts if you have been good! Rossella’s version of this legend.My Nonna Romana used to say this to me every year on the eve of La Befana!So today is La Befana, and if you aren�t Italian you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. So let me give you a brief history.�� La Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5th) in a similar way to Santa Claus. However, instead of using reindeers to get around, she uses an old broom. This Italian gift-giving spirit is also known as� La Vecchia (the Old Woman) or La Strega (the Good Witch).In popular folklore, la Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their socks with candy and presents if they are good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The child’s family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for La Befana to restore herself.
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