AUGURI BEFANA!!!

theenglishteacher on January 6th, 2009

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The Epiphany is a typical figure of folklore in some parts of Italy central Apennine, spread throughout Italy. It belongs to a folk figure, and the dispensers of gifts associated with Christmas.

According to tradition, The Epiphany visits children the night dell’epifania (Jan. 6) to fill stockings, hung from the fireplace that children specially left that night, if they were good with candies and chocolates, if they were bad it’s filled with coal . Epiphany is often described as an old witch flying on a broomstick. Unlike a witch she is often smiling and brings a bag full of sweets, gifts to deserving children, but also coal for children who have not been good during the year.

So Epiphany aka Befana as she is known is celebrated today here in Italy, the funny thing about all this is that most women are called Befana’s throughout the year, so it’s sort of become a tradition to send all your female friends a greeting, Auguri Befana=Best wishes witch So all of those people who have been asking what’s Befana? Now you know…Auguri!!!