La Befana... bigger than Santa!
One of Italy's traditional celebrations includes the tale of a witch known as La Befana who arrives on her broomstick during the night of January 5 and fills the stockings with toys and sweets for the good children and lumps of coal for the bad ones (we bought a pre-filled stocking so we are not too worried about La Befana, personally).
According to the legend, the night before the Wise Men arrived at the manger they stopped at the shack of an old woman to ask directions. They invited her to come along but she replied that she was too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused. Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. Having no means of transportation, she wept on her broom. Her sincere tears brought her broom to life, and she flew off in search of the men. She got lost and never found the manger.
Thinking of the opportunity she had missed the old woman stopped every child to give them a small treat in hopes that one was the Christ child. Each year on the eve of the Epiphany she sets out looking for the baby Jesus.
A sweet story and another holiday to celebrate, Italian-style (the last of the Christmas holidays).
According to the legend, the night before the Wise Men arrived at the manger they stopped at the shack of an old woman to ask directions. They invited her to come along but she replied that she was too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused. Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had died. Having no means of transportation, she wept on her broom. Her sincere tears brought her broom to life, and she flew off in search of the men. She got lost and never found the manger.
Thinking of the opportunity she had missed the old woman stopped every child to give them a small treat in hopes that one was the Christ child. Each year on the eve of the Epiphany she sets out looking for the baby Jesus.
A sweet story and another holiday to celebrate, Italian-style (the last of the Christmas holidays).
May La Befana fill your stocking
with only wonderful treats!
with only wonderful treats!
4 comments:
how interesting!!! i've never heard of something like this before :-) very charming! xoxo xandra
Wow! A little combination of Halloween and Christmas! Interesting...
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Love it! Keri
Cool little custom! I love it!
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