While Italy shares similar Christmas traditions to the U.S., one of the most notable differences is La Befana, a bearer of gifts in the form of a grandmotherly woman.
In Italy, Christmas celebrations begin Dec. 8 with the Feast of Immaculate Conception and conclude on Jan. 6 with Epiphany Day. While Christmas is still celebrated on Dec. 25 in a similar fashion to the U.S., Italy celebrates additional holidays throughout the season as well.
Dec. 26 is also a national holiday in Italy known as Saint Stephen’s Day and is typically celebrated by attending markets, carnivals or festivals and visiting Nativity scenes at churches, according to Italy Magazine. The tradition of the Nativity originated in Greccio, Italy in 1223 with a live-action, dramatized version and is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
While Epiphany Day is celebrated throughout the entire nation of Italy, the gift giving and the folklore of La Befana is most common within central Italy. Urbania, a municipality located in the Italian region of Marche, Italy, is often said to be the official home of La Befana, according to Walks of Italy.
Befana is most often depicted as a broom-riding, good witch who appears as an elderly woman wrapped in a shawl. She is also typically covered in soot, due to her entering through the chimney. According to legend, Befana’s story became interweaved with that of the Three Kings — or the Three Magi — when she allowed them shelter in her home during their journey to the birth of Jesus while following the Star of Bethlehem. They offered for Befana to accompany them on their journey, and she initially declined. After the Kings left in the morning, Befana changed her decision and tried but failed to catch up to them, carrying her broom along with a small basket of gifts for the baby Jesus. Thus began the legend of the gift-bearer, La Befana, according to ItaliaRail.
The tradition of gift giving is celebrated in Italy much like in the U.S. but can take place on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day depending on the region. The tradition of Santa Claus, called “Babbo Natale” in Italy, is the same in some regions, while other regions follow the older tradition of Baby Jesus or the Christ Child being the bearer of gifts, according to Select Italy. In some areas of Northern Italy, it is more common for gifts to be given earlier on Dec. 13, which is Saint Lucy’s Day. In areas of central Italy it is more common for gifts to be given later, on Epiphany Day.
The legend says that Befana is still on her journey in search of the baby Jesus and delivers treats — normally toys and candy — to the good children and leaves behind coal for the bad children, much like the Santa Claus. In addition to coal, Befana will sometimes leave onions, garlic or straw from her broom, according to ItaliaRail.
The biggest La Befana festival takes place in her official home and origin of Urbania, Italy. The large celebration, which features activities like singing, dancing and juggling, and hundreds of Befana-impersonators handing out sweets, brings around 30,000 to 50,000 people to the area, according to ItaliaRail.
