La Befana, Italy's "Good Witch", Rules Italian Christmas

Most of us would like to think that once we put Christmas Day behind us, the whole gift-giving, presents-under-the-tree thing is over, and we can breathe a sigh of relief until next December. Not so in Italy. Christmas may come and go, but when it comes to exchanging presents, the party's just getting started!

Santa Claus is a mainstay of the Holiday season all over the world, but in Italy, La Befana - Italy's "good witch" ranks right up there 'ol Saint Nick.

The arrival of La Befana is on the eve of the Epiphany - January 5th to be exact. Legend has it that if a child was good throughout the year, the good witch will swoop down the chimney and leave a small gift. If the child was a real rascal during the preceding 12 months, the kid got a piece of coal.

In the days between Christmas and the Epiphany, Italian markets put out a wide variety of La Befana dolls. Italy's witch with a heart of gold pretty much conforms to the image of witches that we all hold so dear: a wrinkly old lady hunched over and wearing a shawl. The broom in her hand her only mode of transportation. La Befana bears a striking resemblance to my mother-in-law. But that's just a coincidence I'm sure.

These days the cultural impact of La Befana has slowly faded away. And that's unfortunate. For most families it's just another reason to get together for a meal. For kids, another opportunity to get a present.

But there was a time - and it wasn't that long ago - that Italian children really did get all giddy with the thought of this kindly old witch coming into their homes bearing gifts. La Befana was someone who had more in common with Italy's all-too-common poverty. Especially in the South.

In fact, the celebration of the Epiphany was more of a Pagan festival. In fact many people in the South call "l'ipifania" a poor man's festival. That was time for exchanging gifts. Christmas Day was strictly a religious affair in Italy, and not to be tainted with the exchange of gifts. And Santa Claus - that was an element of the New World. Who the heck had money for all those reindeer, let alone that sleigh! And what about that snappy looking red outfit? Nope, La Befana had it going on. A poor kindly witch doing a good deed for equally poor children. Play your cards right and she'll bring you some sweet bread and maybe a small doll.

The origin of La Befana varies. I heard different tales. My grandmother - Bless her - would tell me in her best broken English that "her mother" told her that Befana was an old lady sweeping the floors, and mopping and generally doing the things a cleaning lady does, when the three Wise Men stopped by en route to Bethlehem to ask for directions, and asked her to accompany them see the Baby Jesus. She replied she couldn't because she was too busy. When she finished her chores, she decided to catch up to the tree Wise Men, but they were gone. So, to this day, La Befana goes out on January 5th in search of the baby Jesus, stopping at every house in hopes that in one of them is the One. In the process, she leaves a gift for the Chosen One in each household along the way. At some point this evolved into a lump of coal for naughty children.

I have noticed over the years that a shift has taken place. On the eve of the Epiphany, only token gifts are left for the kids. Well, there have always been exceptions. My neighbor's kid got a Game Boy from La Befana a few years ago (and how the heck she carried that and rode on a broom is beyond me). But generally, the kids are supposed to receive smaller less significant gifts in addition to a stocking full of candy. The big ticket items are reserved for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The local markets make a last push to make a few extra holiday euro. Selling La Befana dolls and masks and all sorts of sweets to fill a stocking with.

I guess that's o-k. The tradition of La Befana is the thing to hold on to. Like all the things that make us who we are, it depends on me and you and every other parent to instill these traditions in the hearts of our children. Whether it's Santa Claus, La Befana, the taxman or whoever.

In the meantime, I hope I rate more than a lump of coal on January 5th.