La Befana comes tomorrow

The Befana comes by night

With her shoes all tattered and torn

She comes dressed in the Roman way

Long live the Befana!

Tomorrow, January 6, is the day of Epiphany, a Christian religious celebration in honor of the day the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus.  In Italy, the celebration involves a witch, La Befana, who flies on her broom on the night of January 5 to deliver candies to all good children, or coal to the bad ones!

In olden days, Italian children didn't get gifts on Christmas from Santa, only candies on January 6 from La Befana.  In more recent times, Santa (Babbo Natale) delivers presents to Italian children too. Lucky Italian kids!

January 6 is also marks the end of the Christmas/New Year's holidays. It's a long two weeks of almost non-stop eating, starting with Christmas eve, then Christmas day, then Santo Stefano day on December 26.  There's a little break, but it seems we're still stuffing ourselves on traditional sweets of panettone or pandoro until New Year's eve.  On that night, you eat a  huge meal,  cenone consisting of many, sometimes up to 15, different courses of food.  And, again on New Year's day there is more food,  when families eat a traditional meal of lentils and cotechino, similar to a sausage. Lentils supposedly bring good luck or good fortune in the new year, so of course, you cannot miss eating those.  Christmas trees and decorations stay up until January 6.

In other Italian cities, there is a huge bonfire on the night of January 5 to celebrate the arrival of La Befana. In Venice, things are handled a bit differently.  Tomorrow morning at 10 am there will be a regatta in the Grand Canal starting at San Toma and ending at the Rialto bridge. Rowers will all be dressed as Befanas, with shawls, dresses, hats and wigs.  At the end of the race, there will be mulled wine, hot chocolate and candies for all.

Get your cameras ready tomorrow morning, find a spot along the Grand Canal near Rialto. I'll meet you there!

La Befana - January 6

January 6- Epiphany- is a National holiday in Italy. Not only does it signify the day the Wise Men arrived bearing gifts for baby Jesus, it is also the day La Befana arrives. And who is La Befana?  In Italy, La Befana is a kind old witch who flies on the night of Jan 5 on a broom, delivering candies and goodies to good children who have left their stockings up for her to fill. Sounds a little like Santa Claus, doesn't it?  January 6 is also the day Italians take down Christmas trees and decorations. It marks the end of the holiday season, sadly. But, on a cheery note, there is this one last celebration to get through!

This kindly old witch is supposedly the same old woman the Wise Men visited as they made their way to Bethlehem. They invited the old woman to come along with them, but she refused. Later in the night she saw the bright star shining in the sky, and set off after the Wise Men in hopes of catching up with them.  All over Italy, on the night of January 5, La Befana delivers candies to good children, and possibly a lump of coal to those who have not been so good.

There is even a special song about La Befana:

The Befana comes by night

With her stockings all tattered and torn

Her hat worn the Roman way

Long life to the Befana!

Celebrations vary throughout the country, ranging from towns hanging enormous stockings in the city center to   cities staging  large fires blazing  which they burn  wicker puppets. Here in Venice, Festa della Befana is a little different.  It's celebrated by having a special regata on the Grand Canal!  Men dressed  in dresses, scarves and wigs race in boats from San Toma to the Rialto bridge. Here are a few photos from last years race.

The regata is tomorrow morning at 11:00 am.  Afterwards there is usually hot chocolate and mulled wine served along Fondamenta del Vin.  What a great way to wind down the holiday season! Bring your cameras, I'll see you there!